Pendulum
by ChampagneTasteBeerMoney
Summary: The inevitable happens. Riarkle, Lucaya and Zayadora. Riley x Farkle, Lucas x Maya, Zay x Isadora. This is a companion piece to Life on Mars, but I guess this could be a stand alone.
1. Killing

**AN: To enhance your reading experience, queue "Child's Play" by Drake.  
**

 **TW: Sexual assault.**

* * *

Throughout her life, Maya Hart would constantly ask herself why things happened the way they did. Why did her father leave? Why did her face always inherit an insane amount of pimples before her period? Why could Riley always see the good in her when she couldn't see it in herself? She asked herself questions like these and more importantly, wondered if she did anything to deserve them happening in the first place. And this was especially when it came to Lucas Friar.

Lucas was supposed to be Riley's. That's how she planned it, from the moment she saw his wide, country eyes smile at them. Sure, she thought he was cute but like her best friend, she wasn't an expert in dating. Maya had no idea how to start a relationship with someone else. Besides, it was clear how much Riley liked him from that first incessant and awkward giggle. Maya knew she always wanted Riley to be happy and being with Lucas would make her happy. So, she shoved them together and kept shoving them together, even when the universe had other plans. Such as, that goddamned bull and Lucas almost kissing her in Texas and declaring that he might have feelings for her too.

However, Lucas liked both Riley and Maya, he said. They both were very important to him, he said. There was no way he could choose between them, he said. This was crushing to not just the girls but the entire group. Lucas made it seem like he had no power in the situation because no matter what, someone was going to get hurt. Maybe he was right, but still Maya thought it was even more hurtful to drag them along the way he was. So, she ended things, saying she didn't really like him and the the only reason he liked her was because she had turned into Riley. She got that idea from Josh, Riley's uncle whom she also had feelings for. It wasn't until 10th grade that she realized that, while Josh's heart was in the right place, he might've spoon fed her a load of bullshit.

Around sophomore year,the gang started to get in the party scene. Riley, Lucas and Maya headed to one being thrown by a rich upper west side kid, friend of a friend. They were all sticking together until a guy started to show Maya attention in the way she liked. He had bite to his banter and had a smile like the devil. All through the conversation, they both always had a cup in their hands. He wanted her to see his the old vinyls and CDs in his car. Thinking back on that night, like she often did, Maya really should have known better when he said that. Who still plays CDs in their car when everyone has aux cords now? Thankfully, Lucas had kept an eye out all night and was able to save her. She pounded on the foggy window and Lucas saw it before the guy held her down. Lucas broke bones in his hand but Maya made it out before anything could happen.

Still, she couldn't sleep. After that party, sometimes Maya would walk the streets at night. She could have went to her best friend but Riley made her feel loved, not safe. Lucas wasn't going much of anywhere those days because he was put on probation for nearly killing the guy, even with the circumstances. She'd stand outside his window, wanting to feel his protection but then, she'd turn around and go home.

When some time passed and she was feeling a little better, her and Zay were at another small party that had people they actually knew. Riley and Lucas opted out to study that weekend and Farkle and Smackle didn't like crowds. They were outside on the balcony, sharing a cigarette.

Jokingly, she asked him, "so, when are you gonna ask me out?"

Zay almost coughed up a lung, "What?"

"Hah, don't you mean 'Zay what?'" She chuckled taking another long drag.

But the boy never laughed. "Maya, you don't really want me to ask you out, do you?"

She sighed, leaning back in the lawn chair. "Why not? It's what all our friends are doing and they treat us like little kids who don't understand. I want to understand. I'm not a little kid." Zay sat thinking and to fill the silence, Maya said, "maybe I should go back to being Riley, since guys _love_ that."

"Except you were never Riley. You just learned how to use a damn hair straightener." He says it so cool, like he's just stating the time of day.

"... _Zay what_? Were you not there all of 8th and some of 9th grade when I started to dress like her and like - "

"Lucas? Yeah, I know. You weren't Riley, Maya." Zay shook his afro back and forth. "Nah, even Luke was a bit skeptical but you guys were so into that theory so ..."

"Then... why did I change? Why did I get better grades all of the sudden and-and lose my fire?"

"Because you were maturing? What, you were gonna hop on desks your whole life?" He snubbed out the cigarette and turned to Maya. "Look, I know that Josh and Riley gave you some rigmarole about how you became her to test Lucas but that was fake news. Josh isn't even here enough to really know what's going on, anyways. He doesn't know you."

"Riley knows me."

"OK, _por ejemplo_ , when Lucas first showed up to New York, he pretty much stopped getting into trouble. Was that because he had an identity crisis? No, he just changed because that's what people do all the time, especially when they know it'll benefit them - "

"Yeah, and that's why I became Riley!"

"Maya, no - "

"Yes!"

"OK, how about now? You get better grades now, right? Is that because you're Riley? No, it's because you got older and you evolved. You grew. Your fire never left, Maya. You learned to control it."

Even in the face of evidence, Maya was still reluctant to take Zay's words in. "No, that's not true because Riley would never hold me back like that. She only wants the best for me. She took me up to Shawn's to get me back! She wants me to be my best and true self, always."

Zay chose his next words carefully. "I believe that she always wants what's best for you, Maya. I also believe she may not always know what that is. Riley always wants things to stay the same. Letting you grow up defied that, at the time. She didn't mean to hold you back, Maya. She just didn't want anything to change. What she failed to realize is, by you being around people who build you up and make you better, it was going to happen anyway. "

Slowly, Maya took some Vodka and cranberry from a red cup. "... People change people." Zay made a concurring nod. "So, I liked Lucas?"

"You did." Zay noted the past tense but didn't want to push it.

"But he didn't like me as _me_." She pointed to herself.

"No, he did. He _really_ liked you but you pushed him to Riley. Why?"

She shook her head, "I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"... I've been rejected my whole life. I didn't want add another disappointment to list. Besides this way, everyone could get what they want. Lucas gets an easy way out, Riley gets the guy of her dreams - "

"And what do you get?" He quizzed.

"Happiness. When Riley's happy, I'm happy. I mean, come on Zay, do you really think Lucas would've chose me? And if he did, Riley would've blown up."

"Maybe, maybe not." He shrugged.

"No, yes, she would have." Maya affirmed. "She would put on a show and act like it's fine but on the inside... I could never do that to her. It would kill her."

"Like it's killing you?"

She cut her eyes at Zay and gritted, "I can take it."

"Yeah... but for how long?"

* * *

There was always going to be a part of her that still had feelings for him. No matter how many boyfriends she distracted herself with. Lucas Friar would always have a piece of her. Sometimes, she'd think about that night at the police station. When Riley was being questioned, Lucas and Maya sat side by side. He must've sensed how tired she was and pulled her into his chest. With one bruised arm, he cradled all of Maya's sorrow as she quietly cried on his shoulder. She remembers the soft kiss he planted on her forehead.

Maya remembered the way they danced together, the night everyone found out about Farkle and Riley. It was painful when he called her to ask if there was anything Riley was telling her that could save his relationship. He sounded so hopeless and she couldn't help him. When the truth finally came out about their friends, Maya was relieved honestly but stressed about what this would mean for their special group. Lucas wanted to kill Farkle and erase Riley but Maya - Maya he wanted to keep. Despite what her mind was saying, the piece of Lucas in her heart became undeniable when he called her from the stairwell, asking if she was going to come with him.

Because it was New Years', Lucas, Maya and Zay had several options of places to go. They ended up going to Zay's cousin's house party, not wanting to be around kids from school and answer questions. This was Zay's family and friends. Lucas and Maya didn't really know anyone, so the two clung to each other the whole night. Lucas was ready to have a good time in forgetting for the night and loved his company in Maya. Multiple shots and cups of Patron later, they sat in the stairwell with a bottle Southern Comfort, moving every five seconds for someone to get by. Lucas let his dress shirt open, exposing his wife beater and tanned skin, although it was winter. Maya's hair was down in tousled waves and there was a run in her stocking. True to form, she was teasing him about his Mr. Matthews impression. It would've been pretty good, if Lucas' accent didn't get in the way. Suddenly as another person was about to step on Maya, Lucas put her in his lap. It happened really fast; she felt strong hands around her torso and next thing she knew she was sitting on him.

"People are jus' gon' keep on comin' back and forth so like... " Lucas slurred his explanation to her surprised, blushing face. Lucas took another swig from the bottle before asking, grinning very close to Maya's mouth and staring into her eyes, "is this weird?"

Maya gulped, "nope." She took the bottle from him and drank, tasting him on the tip. All of her thoughts were excruciatingly loud. Riley's name blared more than once. The only light was dark blue but his smile still shined bright. His strong hand was caressing her waist and she instinctively licked her lips. Maya felt she would've been kissed in the next second, if Zay hadn't found them.

"Well, well, well..." Zay stared. "There you two are!"

"Here we are!" Lucas cheered and Maya toasted the finished bottle to him.

"Get downstairs! People keep telling me my white friends are in the stairwell and they all up in the way! Embarrassing. C'mon!" Zay took Maya's hand and she grabbed for Lucas to follow. The living room was packed wall to wall. To keep track of her because she was so small, Lucas kept his hands on Maya's hips. Or maybe he just liked the way she felt against him.

Zay disappeared again when the song changed. Suddenly, Maya turned to him and said, "I love this song! BOUNCE THAT SHIT LIKE WHOA!" She began to rap the lyrics to familiar Drake song. Lucas was a fan too but he was a bigger fan of Maya rapping every word to him verbatim. He couldn't fight the smile on his face. He was too drunk to really place any of the words, so he couldn't sing along that well except to rap one verse, "don't make me give you back to the hood," pointing a warning finger to Maya and she did the same.

When the beat broke down, she turned around dropped her ass in time on him. Lucas wasn't the best dancer normally but when he was comfortable, he had better rhythm than Zay. Maya was patient, waiting for him to catch up. He placed his hands on her stomach, fingers treading lightly underneath her shirt. She didn't seem to mind, considering she arched even further back. Lucas is stronger than a brick wall, so he could handle it. When she dipped, he dipped, no matter how deep. Her heels gave them near perfect alignment to fitting together. If Maya decided to grind a little lower, she'd be on too sweet of a spot. Not that Lucas was helping himself, linking his fingers in her belt hoops so there was no other place she could go if she tried.

Lucas felt his head getting heavier and Maya did him the kindness of putting her fingers on the nape of his neck, inviting him to rest in the crook of her own. Her hair smelled like smoke and strawberries. His eyes were closed and he could almost feel himself purring. Lucas didn't care as he couldn't recall feeling this good in months. It was like a hazy dream he didn't want to wake up from. Lucas would never be sure but he could almost feel Maya's soft lips on his ears singing the words, "I just want to let you know that someone loves you back."

But then, Zay interrupts. "AH SHIT! OH SHITTTT! OHHH!" He shrieked with someone's tie around his head. His phone was held up to the couple, as if he was taking a picture or a video. The bubble popped and Maya immediately swatted at him.

The voices were quiet while they dancing but as soon as Maya saw that phone, she heard 'Riley!' again. Zay held his arm up in the air where the small girl couldn't reach. "Zay if I see this anywhere on the internet, I swear to fucking God -!"

"Whoop!" He ran through the crowd like a mouse and Maya was on the chase. She ran him into the first twilight of the year. Meanwhile, Lucas was left alone, snapping out of his most pleasant dream. He wagged his head and scrubbed his face with his hand, waking himself up from the moment. Whatever. He tried to be too drunk to think about it.

* * *

Lucas slept his monster hangover away most of the next day. He called Maya in the afternoon. He didn't need to see her, he didn't want to because he was a wreck, absorbing everything the night prior.

"Hey," Lucas' voice was groggy.

"Huckleberry..." Maya tried to give some life to her tone but she just sounded really tired. "What's up?"

"Mmm... fucked up. You?"

Maya made a dry chuckle. "Sounds about right."

There was a silence.

"Maya?"

"Yeah?"

"Last night..." Maya held her breath because last night could've meant many things. "A lot happened."

"'Twas a night to remember."

Lucas recalled how they got so close, in the stairwell and in the living room. He liked how it felt to be with Maya like that, just the two of them. He said, "I was thinking... and I really don't want you to feel like... look, I know how much Riley means to you and I understand the relationship you guys have but... I want you in my life, Maya. However you want to be, I just... I don't want us to stop - _knowing each other_. You mean a lot, you know but I don't want you to feel torn. I know Riley's more important than me so, if you want to go to her, that's OK. I'll wait. We'll still be friends."

On the other end, Maya was crying.

"Maya? Shortstack, are you there?"

She wiped her tears with her sleeve and sniffled, "I'm here."

"...so, what do you think?"

Lucas and Maya talked for the next two hours about their peculiar situation. She could appreciate that Lucas cared about Maya and Riley's relationship but he was wrong. It's not that Riley was more important than him but Lucas became almost _just as_ important as her.

* * *

 **AN: I don't know but I'm still here. If you like what you read, please review. Thanks.  
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	2. Prom

**AN: Heads up, haters: there is a difference between constructive criticism/having an opinion and being blatantly disrespectful towards me. Therefore, all immature comments will be deleted. It's OK if you don't agree with something I've done in the story but don't be rude about it.**

 **P.S the trigger warning was just for the mention of Maya's almost rape. I don't plan on making it part of the plot, or any other possible triggers for that matter.**

 **P.P.S Because I could not help myself, I created a playlist for this chapter. I know. However, the one of the last songs on this playlist is "Reflecting Light" by Sam Philips and it's only one referenced. So if you care, you could listen to it on Spotify as apart of my playlist called 'Pendulum - Prom' or just queue by itself for your reading experience.**

* * *

It was now two months until graduation and there was one month until prom. Maya didn't care about either but Riley - of course - was ecstatic, absolutely beaming with energy and pride and tradition. She wanted the most epic end to any senior year ever, after the Chernobyl like disaster they all just survived. Her best friend, however, just wanted to throw her cap in the air and go home to nap.

"What do you mean you're not going?!" Riley and Maya were eating ice cream cones after school, walking from Topanga's. Maya had to say this at least 100 times to the brunette, but very often Riley only hears what she wants.

"I mean, I - Maya Hart - am not - as in... _not_ \- going to Prom." She took a lick from her butter pecan scoop. Riley looked at her rainbow surprise was dripping on her knuckles. "You know that's gonna melt -"

"But you have to go!" Riley snapped.

Maya scoffed, "do not."

"Do so!"

"Do not." Maya sang.

"Do so!" Riley repeated.

"Oh yeah? Why 'do so' I?"

"Because it's the last prom we'll be together at before graduation!"

"You know that I'm going to see you at least a billion times before then and after then. As for everyone else... eh, I'm sick of them anyway." Maya replied, waving the rest of the group off with her hand. In reality, she thought about her friends going their separate ways more than she cared to.

"You'll see all of our classmates be drunk and dumb!" Riley beamed before licking her ice cream.

"I doubt anti-depressants will make me tolerate these assholes anymore than I do already, which is barely."

"Pretty dress?" Riley's last shot.

"Prom dresses are always ugly as hell."

"Ours won't be."

Maya pursed her lips before saying, "nah." She shook her head.

"Well, why not?"

The blonde took some of the coldness of her dessert in her mouth purposely while answering, "No reason."

"There can't be no reason for you not wanting to go when you're fighting me this - " Riley made an audible and comical gasp in her best friend's direction. Maya raised her eyebrows. Riley pointed a finger at her, "you don't have a date. That's the reason, isn't it?"

Still swallowing her ice cream, Maya paused and dragged with her mouth full, knowing she's been caught, "No..."

"Ugh! That's it!" Riley victoriously jumped but caught herself when her rainbow-scoop almost splat on the sidewalk. "Maya, you know that I'll be your date to prom. Why are you worried?" Riley said, innocently.

"Except that you won't be my date, Riles. You're Minkus' main squeeze, now. You're gonna dance together, take pictures together and all that other corny prom stuff."

"You could be included in that! It'll be cute; in the photo we'll all hold each other's waists and we'll all dance holding hands." Riley got behind Maya, holding her torso and putting her chin on her shoulder.

Maya grimaced, playfully smiling "ew. No thanks. I don't want to be a third wheel."

"Well," before stepping back to the side, Riley quickly licked some of Maya's cone eliciting a 'hey!' "I guess we're just going to have to get you a date, then."

"Hah, godspeed." Maya saluted.

"Let's see, Josh is in Europe right now, so he's out - "

"And the only other guys I can mildly stand are dating my best friends!" Maya finished, wishing Riley would just drop it. Zay, Farkle and Lucas were the only guys in the school who weren't complete nincompoops and they were spoken for. Well... Lucas wasn't but there was no Maya would hurt Riley by going with her ex-boyfriend, no matter how she felt about him. "Forget it, Riles. It's not my scene, anyway."

The taller girl made an about-face to Maya's blue eyes. "Anywhere I am, Maya, you belong. I know this year has been the pits and it's my fault but I just want one night of normalcy. One more night to be fancy-free with all of the dearest people in the world to me, possibly getting back to where we all were together but I can't do it without you. I can't go to Prom without my soulmate. Please, Maya." Riley pulled out the big guns: puppy eyes, protruded lower lip, gently holding both her hands. Maya was too weak. She couldn't help but cave in.

"Ugh... fine. Fine!" Maya groaned.

"Yaaaaaayyyyy!" Riley cheered, completely dropping her ice cream now. She frowned while throwing it into a park garbage can and Maya conversely said, "justice."

Back at Riley's house, the girls went through the yearbook putting red X's on anyone Maya deemed unfit. They were in the E section.

"Nope, nope, nope..." As Maya gave the verdict, Riley marked the page. "Ooh, hey Mr. Errington. How you doin' boo?" She put her finger on the attractive teacher's black and white photo.

"Maya, he's a teacher. A _married_ teacher. With _children_."

"Whatever, I'm 18! And he's a total DILF, which is great because I could use a zaddy." She clicked her tongue, winking.

"Next!" Riley abruptly flipped the page. "Marty Farris, Leo Farnsworth, Jack Ferguson..."

"No, nope, not-after-he-tried-to-touch-my-boobs-in-the-lunchline..." Maya answered, then her phone buzzed in her back pocket.

 _wyd?_

 **hanging w riley.**

Maya felt a little guilty for dismissing Lucas but just because Farkle and Riley were no longer Voldemort, didn't mean he was ready to start hanging like normal again. "Who was that?" Riley asked.

"Lucas."

Riley slouched a little. "Is he OK?"

"Yeah, just wanted to hang out."

Lucas texted her back:

 _oh ok. call me._

Maya tossed her phone to the side on the bed. Coincidentally, Lucas' face was the next box in the column of seniors. The edge of the red sharpie gave his picture chicken pox as Riley tapped it aimlessly, thinking. Maya noticed this and asked her, "Oh God, what are you thinking, Weirdo?"

"... You said all the guys you like - "

"Can mildly -"

"Can mildly stand," Riley corrected herself, "are taken but... not Lucas." She held up the book, pointing the marker at Lucas Friar's vandalized face. Maya's mouth was agape, working up an excuse but she couldn't find any. Not one that she was willing to share with her right now, anyway. "What is it now, Peaches?"

"He-he's probably going with someone else!" She reasoned very quickly and frazzled. She was shocked that Riley would even suggest it, truly. Maya loves Riley and that love is unconditional, so she understands that sometimes Riley can be a bit... competitive. Maya knew that it was coming from an insecure place within her best friend, so she could overlook it but she didn't think that Riley would be this cool with her going out with Lucas, especially after the intense drama in middle school. Then again, Riley also didn't know about the lingering feelings that still Maya had for him.

"Huckleberry's been on the rebound ever since you jilted him and has been cleaning up!" Maya continued. She wasn't actually sure about that but the thought made her stomach turn. Though Lucas Friar definitely had prospects, for sure.

"Is that why I haven't seen him with any girl but you at school?" Riley questioned with a keen smile. "Face it: it's perfect."

Maya left Riley's bed, heading to the bay window with a very red face. "No, no it's not."

"Oh my God, how?!" Riley clamored, on Maya's heels. "How could you possibly have a problem with this?!"

Maya whispered without looking back at her, "because it's weird!"

"For why? For why is it weird?"

Maya whipped around so quickly, her blonde tresses might as well have bitch-slapped Riley. "Because! Everyone's going to be talking about how he went from you to me. Everyone knows about the triangle, remember? So now, I'm reduced to sloppy seconds... or he is... anyway!" She plopped in the bay window, hugging the cat pillow Zay got Riley for her 18th birthday. "Everyone's going to talk. I don't like people talking about me. It's going to be a fight."

Riley slowly sat next to her best friend, putting an arm around her. "Or... it'll be the most amazing night of our lives. Everyone will be having too good of a time to worry about us and our drama. We're not that important."

"We will be if I walk in with Lucas and you and Farkle. And who says Ranger's going to be down to square dance with me anyway? Or even go to prom at all?"

"I think he would if you asked him."

Maya bit her lip, staring Riley in her optimistic face. "... And you would be OK with that? I mean, I know you're with Farkle and it's star-crossed and shit but... he was still your boyfriend for three years. You're my sister, I don't want to hurt you."

Riley sighed, "Part of me will always love and care about Lucas but as a friend only. I want nothing but happiness for my friends and even more for my family. I think you two going to prom together would do the trick. You're my sister, too, so I don't want you to miss out on the good things. You deserve all the good things, Maya."

The blonde exhaled, twiddling her fingers. This shouldn't be a big deal to her but this was giving her something to look forward to and that she couldn't trust. A night as Lucas' date, a night designed for grand fantasy and romance, a night where anything could happen between them. She wasn't ready for this. This was dangerous. But looking in Riley's eyes, she knew she could trust her Honey with her life. If she says it's going to be amazing, then that's what it'll be. Feelings be damned and repressed. Maya could do this, especially for Riley.

Defeated, Maya said, "... alright."

"YAYYYYYYYY!" Riley attacked her with a hug.

* * *

"Just say it. Say that you hate me."

"No, Zay."

"I mean, it's obvious, from how you're treating me."

"If it's so obvious, then why do I have to say it?" Lucas teased.

Zay gasped, "so, you do hate me!"

Lucas threw his head back, groaning to the Heavens and pushing Abigail Adams High School's double doors, "It's too early for this..."

Now that prom was three weeks away, it was all anyone could think, talk and breathe about. Flyers were posted, reminding seniors to get tickets but Lucas still didn't comply and Zay was completely baffled. When he asked, Lucas simply said he wasn't into it this year and his best friend went from baffled to hysterical.

"I'm sorry but I cannot - _absolutely can not_ \- think of any other reasons you'd pass up on Prom with your BFF?! You're not still hung up on the Riley/Farkle thing are you?!"

Hastily, Lucas yanked Zay to the nearest corner, a window with a bench for two. "Could you keep your voice down?!" He growled through caged teeth.

Zay folded his arms, "well?"

Lucas took a deep breath, "it's complicated."

"Explain."

"I mean," he carded his hand through his hair that's grown out a tiny bit more than usual. "Am I still angry at them? No but, do I want to go to Prom and act like we're all the best of friends when were not? _Fuck_ _no_." It felt so good to curse now that he wasn't with Riley anymore. She always made an uncomfortable face when he did.

"I thought you said you were going to try." Zay reminded him.

"I am! But prom? I don't know, man it's like the one night where everyone wants everything to be perfect. One last big hurrah to say goodbye and...I want more time. Time to fix our relationships so when I do say goodbye, it won't feel fake. Or forced. Because like it or not, me and Farkle and Riley? We're not all good. I don't know if we can ever be again but... I don't want to leave with bad blood. I want to be close to them again but it's too soon, too awkward. Besides, I have no one to go with." As if by magic, two dimpled cheerleaders passed them by, only saying hello to Lucas. His reply was lackluster, but they still giggled.

"I hate you." Zay seethed, leaving the window.

"What? Why?" Lucas treaded quickly behind him.

"Because you don't have anyone to go with - you have _everyone_ to go with." Zay elongated his skinny arms to symbolize the campus. "Girls are so thirsty for you, especially when they hear your situation of being cuckolded and _especially_ because you're for Prom King. They are out here in the desert and you can't even give them a damn drink!"

The older boy shook his head with a grin, "Zay, you don't understand."

"You're right; I don't." Zay flippantly agreed.

"Look, if I ask a girl to prom, she's gonna think that I'm looking for something serious because prom is serious. Prom is a big deal. " Lucas stated, walking down the steps with Zay.

"Luke, just because I found Mrs. Right and I'm taking her to prom, doesn't mean you have to, OK? You just need Mrs. Right-Now-Ready-and-Willing, and frankly," once again, a pretty girl smiled at Lucas to greet him and he obliged. "There are plenty of girls who have that last name."

"Prom is too romantic to just take _anyone_ to, no matter how hot." Lucas said, final. "There's a lot of pressure, OK? Pictures, meeting the parents, hooking up... it's not a first date scenario, Zay. It has to be someone I really know and like."

Suddenly, a wicked grin formed on Zay's brown face. " _I_ know someone you like."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. She's about -" he brought his hand to the level of his shoulder. "Yay high in heels, that she wears all the time. Long, blonde mane. Eyes bluer than the sky and has the ability to make Floyd Mayweather cry?"

Lucas squinted his green eyes at his friend before realizing who he meant. Maya. A whirlwind of emotions came to him yet Lucas calmly said, "no."

"Dude, it's _ridonkulous_ how perfect it is!" Zay challenged, as Lucas was walking away from him. "I mean, you obviously like her and find her attractive. What, you think you're too good for Maya?" He purposely raised his voice to get a reaction and it worked.

Lucas spun around on his heels, getting in Zay's face, "Raise your voice one more time - "

"Well?"

Lucas sharply exhaled and started walking again,"of course I don't think I'm too good for her. I love Maya. If not for you, she'd be my best friend."

Zay sensed how much Lucas cared and wanted to gush about it but didn't want to embarrass him. "And that's a bad thing because..."

"It's just... weird. It's weird! Maya and I have been through a lot. We went through that whole triangle thing and we've only ever been on one real date before! And you can't forget that Riley is her best friend and my ex. You know how that's gonna make me look, taking her to prom?"

"Like a dick." Zay chuckled but seeing Lucas' stern face, he stopped. "Dude. It's just prom. I know that it has expectations but when you strip all that away, it's just a dance."

Lucas bit lightly on his tongue, thinking about what it would be like to have Maya as his date. They've only had one other date and milkshakes ended up dripping down his back but even then, he had a great time. There was no romantic pretext in their relationship right now, so that took the stress off but still he worried. " Maya - she's too important to me. I just don't want to fuck anything up between us."

"Hey buddy," Zay put two hands on Lucas' broad shoulders, getting close to whisper to his face, " _so don't_."

* * *

Senior Prom countdown: T-minus two weeks. Neither Lucas nor Maya has made a move in the time they had promised their pesky best friends. Lucas told Zay he was busy with all the senior wrap-up duties he had in the numerous clubs and sports he belonged to. Maya also used his excuse, explaining that she could never get a hold of him but she didn't really want to. She's been asked out, hit on and groped once (no worries, the jerk left the scene with his balls practically bleeding) but she never did the asking. That only happened with two guys: Josh, but she knew he'd never say yes and Lucas, but that was to make a point and also, she knew _he_ wouldn't say yes at the time. Now, Riley was the one pushing her to ask him out, inverse to all those years ago. Life has one hell of a sense of humor.

She was having a bit a deja vu, watching the boy at his locker. Maya made a promise to Riley and she always imagined herself as someone true to their word.

 _Just do it, Maya. Get it over with and fucking do it._ She amped herself up. Maya took a strong breath and exhaled through her nostrils, nodding. She charged towards Lucas, her four inch heels hitting the floor with purpose.

"Yo, Friar Huck!" Maya shouted without thinking. Now, she had his full attention. No turning back. He looked down at her with wide, doe like eyes first but then made that stupid, disarming smile. Before she lost her nerve, she told him, "so, you're taking me to senior prom." If she commanded him, Maya thought she wouldn't feel too pathetic.

Lucas' eyes went even larger at Maya's revelation. He planned to be the one to do the asking but he didn't know how. Maya deserved a grand gesture, in his opinion but he didn't know what to do. He thought about drawing her a picture but he had 0 artistic talent and she'd make fun of it,which honestly made it the perfect proposal but he wanted to go bigger. The idea Lucas settled on was getting a rope and randomly but gently lassoing her to him. Next, he'd give her sunflowers and ask her to be his date. It was a really good and cute plan. But no, Maya had to go and be her assertive self, demanding him to take her to prom. Well, if she was going to unknowingly ruin his scheme, Lucas thought he could at least have a little fun with her.

"Oh, I am, am I?" He leaned against his locker with a shrewd grin, folding his arms.

"Did I stutter?"

"And what makes you think I don't have a date?"

For a second, something in Maya faltered but she quickly recovered, "pssh, what girl did you Roofie now?"

"I think we both know _I_ don't have to go to extreme measures get a date around here."

"And just what are you insinuating, Dingleberry? That I do?"

"Yup. You're pretty but guys are afraid of you. And why else would you ask me? You don't have a crush on me again, do you?"

Maya blushed a tad, not knowing if him calling her pretty or bringing up crushes was throwing her off. "Please, I like you as much as I like shot needles stuffed up my vagina."

" _Ooh, talk dirty to me._ "

"Just take me to the goddamn prom, Ranger Rick."

"You know, you're putting me through a lot of abuse considering _you're_ the one who needs a date - "

"I'll put my fist through your face!" Her little fist rose to the tip of Lucas's eyes and he covered it with his large hand, bringing it back down between them.

He gazed down on her with a crooked smile, thinking that it was silly for anyone to be afraid of someone so adorable. "Prom, huh?"

Maya glanced at the both of their hands still clasped together, then strongly met his stare. "Just taking pictures and eating food. That's it."

"And dancing."

"No dancing."

"Oh, yes there _will_ be dancing." Lucas affirmed. Honestly, it was a turn-on to watch Maya move. "Or no date."

Maya huffed, "fine!" She snatched her hand back.

Lucas, more agreeable, "fine." He held out his hand for her to shake and she did. "Pleasure doing business with ya, ma'am." He tipped his invisible hat and Maya deeply rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up." She shook her head whilst strutting away.

To anyone else, their conversation would have sounded extremely hostile and mean but the two people involved left the exchange smiling blissfully.

* * *

A week before prom, Zay called a meeting. The only period they all shared was lunch. Riley, Farkle, Maya and Zay would all sit together and sometimes Lucas would show up too but often, he'd go weight train in the school gym. He was still feeling kinda weary towards Riley and Farkle. Lucas appreciated their efforts but try as he might, he just couldn't let go yet. Still, progress was being made.

"OK, to bring this meeting to order." Zay stood at the head of the table, using his water bottle as a gavel. Suddenly, he dipped to his phone to make sure that Smackle's connection was clear. "Baby, you there?" Sometime around Valentine's Day, Zay and Smackle became official and started to only speak to each other in pet names.

She face-timed with Zay from Einstein, "I'm here, Smoopie but before you start, I would like to say hello to Maya, Harlot and Whore - " Farkle and Riley couldn't figure out who was which, "and oh, Lucas? I didn't expect to see you here."

"In the flesh. Hey, Smackle." Lucas said, making a wave to Zay's phone screen.

"Smoopie, do you think you can go without calling Riley and Farkle names?" Zay asked.

"My love, I have forgiven but I haven't forgotten. Until that happens, I'm making sure they don't either." Smackle's voice was sweet but dripping with callousness.

Riley pointed a finger in the air, "that's fair but I'm 'Harlot', right?" Smackle nodded and Riley was pleased.

"Wait, why do I have to be the Whore?!"

"Anyway - " Zay cut off all insignificant discussion. "I wanted to lay out our plans, post-prom craziness. Farkle, I am giving you the floor but I will take it back when I see fit."

"Thank you, Zay." Farkle cleared his throat, "I -"

"Farkle's father," Zay was ready to take back the spotlight. He strode around the lunch table, holding his girlfriend in his other hand. "Has gifted all of us hotel rooms for after prom."

The group murmured their surprise and excitement. "Yeah," Farkle thought it was safe to speak. "After telling him how far away the venue was, he thought it would easier to have a closer place to crash. It's like a graduation gift to all of us."

"Also, it probably doesn't hurt that he owns part of the hotel?" Maya said, chewing a straw.

"No, it doesn't." Farkle added matter-of-factly.

"How many rooms?" Smackle asked.

"Three."

"Only three?"

"Yeah. He said it's because: One, it's prom season and there's a business convention in town, so there were limited rooms available and to bump everyone would look bad. And two, he knows that most of us are in relationships with one another so even he gave us the entire floor to ourselves, we'd probably end up in each other's rooms anyway."

"Smart man," Zay replied.

"Do our parents know?" Riley said.

"Yes. That's why your dad has been looking at me like _that_ all week. "Farkle subtly nodded south of the cafeteria. Mr. Matthews has been staring Farkle down every time they were near each other. That was normal as Cory was distrusting of anyone dating his daughter but the added 'I've Got My Eyes On You' gesture was new and he'd pop up at the strangest of times. Like now, where Mr. Matthews definitely had a class to teach but there he was, two tables away with he eyebrows slanting in the middle and eating his pudding cup.

"And that's why I wanted to clear up our assignments for the evening." Zay stated.

"Well, I'm not comfortable with this." Lucas spoke up. "I make my own money in the garage, I don't want your dad paying for things he doesn't have to. I'll pay whatever my spot's worth."

"That's really OK. I mean, we can certainly afford it." Farkle said. "It's his gift to you, Lucas."

"Thank you but I really don't need a gift from your dad, Farkle." He tried to be polite but it was coming across as annoyed.

"Lucas, it's really not a problem - " Farkle tried to assure him.

"I'm going to pay him back. Every. Cent." Lucas pointed his finger at him, making sure he understood that if he thought that Lucas could be bought, the genius was wrong. But he knew that Farkle wasn't trying to use the hotel room as a bribe. Deep down, Lucas knows that not who Farkle is. This was about him and his southern pride. He couldn't let the guy who stole his girlfriend also pay for an expensive hotel room for him. It felt emasculating.

Everyone could tell Farkle was a little hurt but he nodded, "Sure, Lucas. I'll ask my dad to get the costs together."

Zay cleared his throat to break the tension, "Let's talk about room arrangements, shall we?" Gradually, all eyes went to Maya and Lucas. Realizing that there were four pairs of lookers on them, Maya realized with a carrot stick hanging from her lips that they wanted to know if she and Lucas could share a room together for a night. Alone.

Internally, Maya was freaking out about sharing a hotel room with Lucas. They have spent the night together before but it was very different circumstances. Sometimes, it'd be the whole gang having a sleep over and everyone would be sprawled on the floor. More recently, post Riley and Farkle's affair, if she was hanging at his house and they got caught up in a conversation or too many Black Mirror episodes, she'd nod off on his bed. When she woke up, Lucas would either be on the floor or on his couch. Maya would sometimes fantasize that one morning, Lucas would be just lying next to her. His chest would lightly rise and fall. She'd probably try and balance a pen on his nose. She'd definitely draw him, until he wakes up. But there was no way on God's green earth that this would happen.

She couldn't stop her cheeks from being flushed but Maya was at least able to control the indifferent tone of her voice. "What is everyone staring at? Me and Howdy Doody slept in the same room before. It isn't a big deal."

The table made a collective sigh of relief. Lucas snacked on the same carrots from her lunch tray, smiling at her and pinching Maya's cheek. When he let go, she acted if she would bite his fingers. Maybe, she didn't have anything to worry about. Everything is fine. Nothing has to change.

* * *

 _hey what color is your dress?_

 **why? scared we'll match?**

 _haha no. i just have plans._

 **oh? what plans?**

 _nothin you gotta worry about *pancake emoji*_

 **if you don't tell me what you're doing then i won't tell you the color of my dress *lamb emoji***

 _have you no trust?_

 **do you know who you're talking to?**

 _surprise it is then._

 **i hate surprises.**

 _i know and too bad._

 **i hate you.**

 _great._

* * *

Even in the face of her serious pessimism, Maya had to admit she looked really, really good. When she first tried on the dress in front of her mom and friends, she said that she felt too much like she was getting married in the whiteness of it all. Katy used to help Gammy make dresses back in Oklahoma and she told her after removal of all the tulle and frou-frou, she could make Maya the dress of her dreams. Clutterbucket delivered. When she removed the puffy material, she reshaped the embroidered gown into a flattering, hugging with long Victorian sleeves. She didn't like a lot skin but did want plunging neckline, as her baby-girl was now becoming a woman. Her makeup was classic with a red lip and her strands of her hair was out of her face in a low bun but most of her blond lock cascaded down her back.

Maya was admiring herself in Riley's mirror, memorizing the transformation. Her best friend crept up behind her, playing with her hair. Riley was in nothing less than a violet princess gown, wearing hair extensions to have a fishtail braid. She looked like a fairy-tale.

She held her from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder smiling, "are you ready?"

Holding hands, Maya and Riley went to the rooftop to meet the rest of the pre-prom party. The sunset was painting everyone's faces that lovely gold that Maya adored, bathing their smiles beautifully.

When Riley arrived, she announced in a grand voice, gesturing her arms out "friends! Family! Welcome." She floated to Farkle and he rightly bowed, kissing her hand. Cory shouted, "no!" and Topanga hushed him, pulling him back. Zay and Smackle were in the corner of the roof, taking pictures. Smackle was in an elegant turquoise dress and Zay had a matching bow tie. Lastly, Lucas was speaking to his parents, Josie and Dean, when suddenly their eyes locked. Maya made an uncertain smile, meanwhile Lucas looked dumbstruck. She was on her way over to him when Katy and Shawn got to her first.

"Baby-girl!"Her mother wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug, squealing.

"Oh, mom." Maya sighed before laughing.

Lucas' father was speaking to him about something. He doubted it was really important because the year was over. He was graduating in the top 30 of his class, going to Baylor University in the fall on a baseball scholarship; life was good. Lucas could relax now. So, then why was his heart beating so fast, staring at Maya? He always knew how beautiful Maya was but in that dress, she was breathtaking.

"Lucas? Son, do you hear me?" Dean asked him, with a deeper accent than Maya could have ever imagined.

"Sorry, sir. I didn't."

"Oh, he was just talking about how proud he is again." Josie leaned on her husband, her blue eyes sparkling. "I think you're embarrassing him, now."

"Me? C'mon, Josie. You know better than that." The Friars laughed together as the Clutterbucket-Hart-Hunters approached them. Their parents exchanged pleasantries and discreetly, Lucas took one giant step to be next to Maya.

She was watching the real adults talk when she felt Lucas staring at her. Her face got hot.

"What?" Maya said to him.

"Nothing." He answered smiling. Lucas didn't stop staring.

"Seriously, Hop-a-long, what?" She chuckled a little uncomfortably.

"Nothing! You just look... incredible."

Maya was definitely uncomfortable now. This whole thing was a mistake but it was too late. She laughed it off, "fon't go fallin' in love with me now, Huckleberry."

"OK, it's time to get Lucas and Maya's pictures!" Topanga called them over. The two of them walked to the roof's edge. As they were about to pose, Lucas raised up his hand.

"Oh, wait. Hold on. I'm not ready yet."

"What are you talking about? What are you doing?" Maya asked. Suddenly, Lucas took out a bolo-tie from his back pocket. Then, he went to the refreshment table and brought out two cowboy hats. One was black, the other was ivory. He put the black one on to match with his ensemble and he handed the other to Maya. "Milady," he smirked. The party made surprised sounds and snapped candid pictures.

"You're a psycho." Maya aimed that at Lucas, but was looking at the Stetson.

"Hah-hurr." He lightly answered back.

Maya glanced back and forth between the hat and his eyes. "I'm not wearing that. You _had_ to know I wouldn't wear that."

"You don't have to wear it all night. Just for pictures. C'mon. I'm the western hero you've always wanted and you know it."

Maya rolled her eyes and put the hat on, thankful that she didn't let her mother and Riley talk her into an up-do. She turned and pressed her body against his. His hands lightly held her waist, doing the signature prom pose. Their family and friends giggled and cooed at how silly they were, yet how adorable they looked.

Through her staged smile, Maya whispered, "how did you figure out what color my dress was?"

"Riley." It was extremely late notice. Lucas got over himself about two hours before the pre-prom party because he wanted to execute his plan. She didn't ask him why or give him a hard time about either; just a plain, one-word answer. He appreciated it.

Maya was pleasantly appalled, "well, well, well. Look at you, texting people that aren't me or Zay..."

"I had to start talking to normal people again. Ya'll were givin' me a headache."

"Lone Star, these heels are six inches, so I suggest you watch your mouth."

After pictures and parents giving their warnings of what not to do, the gang was escorted in a stretch limousine, courtesy of Mr. Minkus. When Smackle looked in the cooler for beverages, she found a champagne bottle and a case of Blue Moon beer, which Farkle said had to left there by mistake. His dad could be liberal but not this liberal. They took a vote on whether to drink the alcohol or not. Four to six were in favor of drinking: Riley didn't want a repeat of Junior Prom, where she threw food at people and Lucas just didn't like champagne or Blue Moon. Still, they all had one flute of Cristal except for Lucas, who opted for the beer. When he popped open the crown with his thumb, Maya jeered, "you're from Texas! We get it! We know!"

When they entered the venue, the theme was Storybook Fairytale. Vines twirled up to the ceiling and twinkling lights dressed up the trees. Blooming white roses were at each table. It was homely, yet romantic and elegant.

"Wow, Riley." Maya nudged her. "This is incredible."

The prom committee member flipped her braid back, "stop it."

"C'mon Smoopie," Smackle said to Zay, "I want to burn up the dance floor." She dragged her date by his tie and they began to dance to the pop from the DJ. Soon, Riley and Farkle joined in, with the boy spinning the girl into the crowd. Then, it was just Lucas and Maya. Lucas rocked back and forth, waiting to see what move Maya would make.

Maya saw this and instead of indulging him said, "I'm gonna go get some shrimp cocktail."

On impulse, Lucas took her hand and pulled her back to his chest. "Dance first. That's our deal."

Maya blushed and whined, "make it quick. I'm not built for square dancing."

"I'll be gentle."

Maya had to wonder if Lucas was just trying to make her face an unusual shade of red. She knew he was definitely was when he picked her up and spun her.

Back to earth, she scowled at him, "do you want a death wish, you jerk!"

"No ma'am!" Lucas shouted over the music. "I'm just having fun!" He whooped, holding Maya's hands and making her move. She was laughing at him.

"You're such an idiot, you know that?" She smiled.

"Yeah, I know." Lucas took Maya in his arms and continued to dance with her, spinning her occasionally - even dipping her - to catch her off guard and to make her smile again. She cussed him out a couple times, but it was worth it to see her have a good time.

* * *

Maya's feet were in a great deal of pain. Blisters galore, but not just from her cowboy date. She danced with her other friends (Riley more than once) and she ran into some acquaintances from over the years. Some of them hugged her, saying they were glad she came. Watching everyone be so sublimely happy from a dining table, Maya could only admit to herself that she was too. Even if she didn't always love it, there was going to be a lot to miss about high school. The art room, the gooey cookies that Bertha would make on Tuesdays but most of all, seeing her favorite people everyday. She was getting a bit misty-eyed, almost crying into the shrimp sauce.

"Maya." The voice of someone she used to love. Her first ex-boyfriend came towards her with that same strut that he had in middle school.

"Brandon. Didn't expect to see you here." Her voice was monotone, as she kicked off her shoes underneath the table.

"You either, but I see that you came with Golden Boy." Brandon invited himself to a seat near her. In the candlelight, the shadows framed him as a young, old Hollywood movie star with swarthy features and dark eyes. He even spoke the part."That didn't take long, did it? Just... five years or so."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Maya plopped another shrimp in her mouth.

"You and Lucas? You two always had a thing for each other." Brandon recounted and Maya grit her teeth, hating how their chemistry was so palpable that the whole school could see it.

"OK," she wiped her hands and turned to look at Brandon for the first time since he sat at her empty table. "Number 1: I am only here because Riley made me come - "

"Nobody makes you do anything, Maya - "

"Two: who I'm dating, talking, or even breathing next to stopped being your business the minute you started to accept body shots of other girls on your phone." She seethed.

Brandon and Maya dated for one year. He stayed in the background mostly, only appearing to color some witty or mysterious commentary. But then one day, out the blue, he strolls up to her in the library and asks her on a date. It was so cool and casual, Riley didn't know what to make of it but Maya took it as confidence which she liked. During their first date of skee-ball and pizza, she asked what took him so long and he said she wasn't the easiest to get next to, which he liked. She had sex with him. Less because she thought she loved him, more because she just wanted to get it over with. Still, he fit in with the group pretty well and she knew that not many things could go wrong dating Brandon because she thought they were so similar, until last summer. At Yindra's 4th of July party, Sarah purposely spilled her drink on Maya, sparking an argument that led to her revealing she was fucking her boyfriend. Brandon was a rebel but not a liar. He told her the truth and she stopped speaking to him after that.

He sucked in his lips and nodded, "I know."

"Do better to act like it, then."

"I still miss you, though." He was gradually reaching out to touch her arm when like a knight in shining armor, Lucas appeared.

"Hey, Brandon." Lucas looked down on him with a nakedly menacing stare. From across the hall, he saw him sliver to Maya. When they first broke up, Lucas was on his guard and got in his face the numerous times he tried to reconcile with her. This time, he was too far away to intercept. "Do we have a problem?" He stepped closer to him, puffing his chest out. From the first moment he saw Maya cry the first tear over him, Lucas had been dying to get one good hit.

"No, man. Just reminiscing with the one that got away." Hearing that, Maya softened her edges.

"Well, visiting hours are over now." He rudely motioned with his hand for Brandon to get out of dodge. Promptly, he got up from his sit raising his hands like a white flag. When he vamoosed, Lucas sat next to Maya. "What was that about?"

"I don't know." Maya sighed.

"Yes, you do."

"... I guess he wants to give it another shot or something."

Lucas squinted, trying to read her porcelain features. "... and what about you?" Maya shrugged haplessly. Lucas shook his head with contempt, "man, I hate it when you play dumb." He said to himself.

Maya did a double take. "Excuse me?"

The speakers released feedback and the music cut off. Missy Bradford graced the stage, holding the microphone in her hand like it was her life-line. "Hello, senior class!" The crowd cheered. Lucas left his seat to go into the crowd but not without Maya. He yanked her up to join him. Soon after, Riley and Farkle did the same.

"Hey, have you guys seen Zay and Smackle?" Farkle asked them. All of a sudden, they also noticed the newest couple was nowhere to be found.

"Do you guys want to look for them and then, get out of here?" Maya suggested. She was all prom'd out and full of shrimp and just wanted to go to sleep.

"Sounds good to me." Lucas agreed.

"Hmm... I guess we don't need to know who wins prom king and queen. It's not like I will, anyway." Riley had a tiny frown.

"And I really don't care if I do, so, shall we?" Lucas was about to create an exit when Missy shouted, "our prom king is Lucas Friar!"

Shit. When the beam shone his face he tried to make his expression more jovial. His sports comrades crowded around him, chanting his name and pushing to the stage like a sacrifice. Maya wanted to be a little bit pissed because she kept thinking about how those 500-count threaded sheets were calling her name but it was amusing, seeing how clearly uncomfortable he was and how many people loved him.

He took off his cowboy hat and let Missy crown him with the gilded plastic. He won last year, with Riley as his queen. The moment would have been sweet, if his girlfriend hadn't been so wasted. He was holding her hair back when she put her vomit in a plant. He pretended that it was alright for her to puke on his suit. He pretended that she was still attractive to him with vomit in her hair. She asked him if he still loved her and he said yes. He didn't lie about that or, at the time he didn't think he was lying. But Riley was right. They never loved each other the way a couple should. While he didn't know who his queen would be this year, at least Lucas knew that he wouldn't have to pretend. Couples shouldn't have to pretend.

After what felt like centuries, Missy cleared her throat and prepared to open the other envelope. He knew it wouldn't be her, but Lucas hoped that Maya's name would be called. Would've been nice to have a familiar face with him in this madness. Little did he know, he'd get his wish, just not exactly the way he wanted.

"And your prom queen is..." A smirk played on her face, like she had a secret that would destroy her favorite enemies' life. "Interesting. Riley Matthews!"

Maya and Farkle looked onto Riley and they all had the same crazy, wide eyes. Everyone knew about what happened with the new triangle: Lucas, Riley and Farkle. Every single person. Still, she won prom queen. How? Why? Were they going to Carrie her or something?

"Maya..." Riley said weak and scared, during all the noise of people applauding.

"You won, Honey. Let's go get your crown." Maya softly encouraged her and walked by her side to the stage. Truthfully, Maya was kind of apprehensive too. In light of the affair, people did see Riley differently but they still liked her because they knew he was good person who did a bad thing. But to vote for Lucas too? Making them king and queen together? Knowing the type of history they had? Either their class were really a bunch of assholes who just wanted to be entertained or... they really thought Riley and Lucas belonged together. Even if she and Lucas did have a "thing" for each other, that couldn't beat fate. _Things_ couldn't beat the universe.

Riley bowed in her gown as Missy placed the tiara on her head. Maya watched, thinking how if a 13-year-old version of her best friend was watching this, she'd be shitting herself. Her shocked brown eyes looked to Maya and nervously waved. Maya laughed with her arms folded, off-stage watching her two favorite people look awkward as all hell. She knew that maybe she should be feeling kind of sad but, she couldn't help it. Life had one hell of a sense of humor.

"Please clear the floor as the prom king and queen take their dance."

Suddenly, she remembered Farkle. He stared off into the crowd, not knowing what to make of the situation. Poor Farkle. Maya rushed down from the stage to be with him. She wrapped around his arm and surprised, he looked down at her.

"Should we be worried?" He asked, more charmed by it then anything else. Turns out Farkle realized life could be a sarcastic dick, too. Maya didn't need to take care of him.

"I say, let's make a run for it. You and me against the world." She joked.

"Well, shit _._ The world is _fuuucked."_ Farkle made the same goofy smile he had in middle school.

 _"Very articulately put."_ Maya returned and began to slow-dance with one her oldest friends. The melody was easy and dreamy. Couples swayed together, while Riley and Lucas danced in the spotlight.

* * *

Lucas knew that he could have refused to dance with Riley. That's probably what people wanted to see anyway. Too bad he wasn't a cruel person. Besides, Riley was positively miserable and incredibly stiff. His right hand was in her hand and his left hand was on her waist. They couldn't be farther apart from each other.

"I'm sorry about this, Lucas." She whispered to him. Of course she had to talk.

"It's not your fault, Riley." He said, in a flat voice that was barely comforting.

"This must be horrible for you." Lucas didn't respond, he just looked elsewhere. "I'm sorry about everything."

"You've said that."

"But I mean it, Lucas!" Riley cried to him, pleading with her eyes. "Truly. You're... one of the best people I will ever know. I don't deserve your friendship or your forgiveness. I accept that. Still, I just... I need you to know how disgraceful I feel. How sorry I am. How much I miss you."

Swallowing a reluctant lump in his throat, Lucas nodded and said after a moment, "I know. I miss you too, Riley."

"I don't regret us, Lucas. I shared so many firsts with you and I'm happy about that. I know that you probably feel differently though-"

"No." Lucas cut her off in a low voice. This might've been the most honest discussion they've had since they first started dating. "I said that I was happy that you were my first girlfriend before and I still mean that."

Unable to stop her tears, Riley rested her head on Lucas' shoulder. "Lucas, do you ever want 7th grade back?"

"All the time."

"This may sound really dumb, but - I'll be happy for the time that we can be friends again, like we were when we first met."

"We can't have that again, Riley." She sniffled. "But, now, after everything we've been through, I think our friendship will be better than 7th grade. Better than ever."

Her glistening eyes met his, "do you mean it?"

Lucas gave her a crooked, truthful smile. "I do." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Maya and Farkle nearby. He danced with Riley toward them and tapped Farkle's shoulder. "Hey. I think she belongs to you."

Farkle made a warm grin, before playfully turning to Maya. "Should we restore order?"

"Mmm... yeah. The world doesn't deserve us together." She winked to him. The men traded their woman to one another.

Farkle nodded to Lucas, "thanks, Lucas." Lucas returned the gesture.

The strong Texan's hands held Maya's petite frame like she was made of glass, she felt so precious. Her arms sat on top of his as she tried not to press her against him in the packed crowd, as he might feel her heart beating out of her chest.

 _Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world_  
 _I'm on my knees in fascination_  
 _Looking through the night_  
 _And the moon's never seen me before_  
 _But I'm reflecting light_

"Now, was that so bad?" Maya asked the Prom King about the dance with his Queen.

"No. No, it wasn't terrible," he revealed, after thinking to himself.

Maya's eyes noticed Lucas searching aimlessly above her head. "What are you looking for?"

"Zay and Smackle. It's been an hour since we last saw them." His view scanned the room for his friends. Maya twisted around in his grip, looking for them as well.

"Well, I don't see them. They're probably fine, anyways." Maya reasoned.

"Of course you don't see them, Shortstack. You can't see anything from all the way down there..." Which gave Lucas the idea to randomly lift the small girl above his head, above the sea of students.

Panicking, Maya squirmed in his hands. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Can you see them?"

"No! Now, put me down! I'm not Simba, for Christ's sake!" Maya commanded.

"As you wish." Gradually, Lucas' gravity set Maya back down but they way she was staring into his eyes made him feel like he was in the starriest of skies.

 _Give up the ground_  
 _Under your feet_  
 _Hold on to nothing for good_  
 _Turn and run at the mean dogs_  
 _Chasing you_  
 _Stand-alone and misunderstood_

Maya was in Lucas' hands, still inches from the wood floor. He was staring at her again, the same way he did on the rooftop. She barely felt her heels kiss the ground, gazing into him. If possible, she Maya felt like they were in another bubble together; a snow globe of the innocence that comes from two people that trust each other and are genuine. No agendas, no secrets... or none that can't wait a little while longer, long enough for Maya to remember that nothing can happen between them. Nothing should happen. Nothing will.

 _Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world  
_ _I'm on my knees in fascination_  
 _Looking through the night_  
 _And the moon's never seen me before_  
 _But I'm reflecting light_

The violins bled with Maya's heart and she hated Lucas so much in this moment because he'd never know. How cruel, that she had to carry all of her complex feelings by herself? Oh well. She was used to it and in that, her and the western hero were more alike than she could ever realize. All the time, Lucas thought about if things were different, especially now that he and Maya have become thick as thieves. He thought about how if he had chosen Maya, they've probably would've fought all the time, like everyone said they would but now, he understood that those fights would've been full of love, instead of animosity. Challenging each other was how they showed their care. He wished he realized it then, but another 'oh well'. Too late now. Maya was his friend and for that, Lucas was eternally grateful.

Maya saw the dumb and soft grin playing at Lucas' narrow lips and she asked, "what're you smiling at?" Her voice was little, under the same spell.

"Nothing." He replied, smile never wavering.

"OK." She accepted it much easier than expected. Maybe because they were thinking the same thing.

Too soon, the music stopped but Lucas and Maya were still in a waltz position. But then, Riley and Farkle charged up to them, declaring that they needed to go back to the hotel immediately as Zay and Smackle weren't answering their phones.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the floor?" The gang fled down the hall of the 7th floor of the grand hotel with their overnight bags.

"Farkle, I thought you had the room keys?" Lucas asked.

"I do."

"Then, how could they have gotten in?" The older boy reasoned. "Guys, they're probably at one of their houses or something because they didn't want to wait for us."

"They still should've at least texted one of us." Riley said as the mother of the group.

"And with Isadora's genius and Zay's charisma, I put nothing past them." Farkle countered, arriving at their room. He used his thin knuckles to tap on the door but when that wasn't loud enough, Lucas hovered over him and did a police knock.

"Zay! Smackle!" No response. He knocked again, calling his best friend's name. "Zay, op-"

The heavy gold door flung open, to reveal a shirtless Zay. They did a collective sigh of relief when he greeted them with a lazy smile, "Hey guys."

"What happened to you for the last few hours?" Lucas interrogated, next came Farkle, "and how did you get into the hotel room?"

"Well, it's like this-" Suddenly, Isadora in presumably Zay's dress shirt appeared in front of her boyfriend and yelled at them, "GET LOST!" She slammed the door in all of their faces.

As they all glanced at each other with a mix of entertainment and perplexity, Lucas made a toothy smirk, "See? Told you they were fine."

After Farkle slid their room key under the door with a huff, he graced Maya with another key for room 710, two doors down. Riley and Farkle would be across the hall.

Riley gave Maya a bear hug to say goodbye for the night. She couldn't help the tears from falling. Maya wiped them away, "Honey, what's wrong?"

"It's almost over, isn't it?" She quietly sobbed. Maya made a crooked smile, palmed her face and took her best friend back into her arms to let her cry some more. The boys made somber looks to each other, as the blonde kissed both of Riley's cheeks and whispered, "Riles, it's just beginning." Maya walked her over to Farkle and her eyes rimmed with pink but her voice hid her emotions pretty well."Take care of her."

"Yes, boss." Farkle complied with a nod and he led Riley by the small of her back. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight."

Lucas noticed his friend evading his eye-line, trying particularly hard to stuff the key card in the door. He squatted a little lower, trying to peer underneath Maya's hair to see her face. "You OK, buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She muttered, pushing open the door with her whole tiny body. Revealed was a hotel room so lavish, one could only think that the penthouse must've looked like Versailles. The television almost took up the entire wall. Little crystals hung from the night lamps in a way that wasn't gaudy, somehow. Expensive art hung from the walls and Maya brushed the dried paint strokes with her fingers. The mini-fridges had all types of packaged delicacies. And lastly, the bed. The bed was fit for village, with Egyptian cotton quilts dyed a wealthy sage green. Maya ran and jumped on the bed, bouncing up and down on a cloud.

She groaned with pleasure, "Oh my God... I think I'm pregnant." She closed her eyes with a blissful smile.

Carefully, Lucas laid down next to her and with each bit of mattress hitting his body, the more he felt like he was entering Heaven. "Oh. Oh, Jesus."

"Right?"

He folded his hands, like he was laying in a coffin. "I'm never leaving this bed."

"I will graduate from Abigail Adams in this bed." Maya kicked off her shoes.

"I will go to four years of college in Texas, graduate and treat sick animals from this bed."

"I will give birth to pillow babies, conceived _from_ this bed, _in_ this bed."

"... Ew." Lucas' mouth pulled a line and immediately, Maya started chuckling. It became contagious and Lucas began to laugh too, even as Maya hit him with a pillow full of feathers. He sighed and rolled over, "Even getting beaten with pillows feels like being touched by an angel." His lids slowly opened and closed, staring into Maya's eyes. She watched him the whole time, forgetting herself again. He hummed, "what?"

Maya cleared her throat and sprouted up, "nothing, uh, I'm gonna get changed in the bathroom." She almost ran into the apartment that pretended to be a restroom, it was so goddamn big. Her hands tried to reach the zipper on her back and after many tries, she couldn't succeed. Maya looked in the mirror, examining the dress from top to bottom. She couldn't get it off and there was no other way out without ruining the dress. She had no other options. Maya huffed at her own reflection, judging her whole existence.

Maya broke open the door and called him, "Huckleberry." Of course, he was already undressed in a tank top and pajama pants, the handsome southern devil. Maya showed him her back, "unzip me."

"Oh... sure." The top of the clasp started half-way down her spine. His fingers lightly tugged the zipper down, exposing her lily white skin and groove down her back. Lucas had to keep himself from tracing the line with his fingertip. When she felt like too much time has passed, Maya grumbled her thanks and went back into the bathroom. He licked his lips and continued to hang up his tuxedo. By the time he put his formal wear and crown in his Nike bag, did some of his night workout routine and called his mother to tell her they were safe, Maya finally came out. She was wearing an over-sized Backstreet Boys t-shirt her mother owned and some satin baggy shorts. Her makeup was gone but her eyebrows were still very thick and dark. She walked over to the bed and climbed inside. Lucas grabbed a pillow and threw it on the floor. He found blankets in the closet, making himself a tiny area in front of the plasma.

"What are you doing?" Maya asked him as he was trying to get comfortable.

"Going to sleep."

"On the floor?"

"Where else am I supposed to sleep? You always sleep on the bed."

"Yeah, but... I can't make you sleep on the floor on your prom night. I'm not that much of a bitch."

"You're not a bitch at all and you're not making me do anything." He tried to shut his eyes and nod off.

"God, Huckleberry, just get up here." She said quickly, without thinking.

One green eye popped open, "You sure?"

"Before I change my mind." Maya warned him. Lucas sat back up and hovered over the bed.

"Do you want to sleep feet to face?"

"So I can have your corns right near my nose? I'm good, thanks." Maya sighed in annoyance. "We can lay the same way, just sleep on top of the covers."

"As you wish." Lucas crawled to the top of the bed to rest next to Maya. With every dip in the mattress, Maya became rigid with panic. She shouldn't have been so nice to invite him into bed with her. There was a reason he slept on the floor at their houses: because it was inappropriate, although it shouldn't be. Riley sleeps in bed with her all the time and they're just friends. Maya thought of Lucas the same way, she forced herself to think of him the same way. Her back was to him and her thoughts were so loud and violating. Lucas was silent but there was no way even he could fall asleep that fast.

"Huckleberry?" She muttered. He was silent. "Huckleberry?" Suddenly, Lucas made a deep and so fake snore that caused Maya to lean over slap him on the arm. "I know you're not sleeping, you ass!"

He chuckled, coming back to life. "What is it, Maya?"

"... earlier, you said that you hate it when I play dumb. What did you mean?"

Slowly, Lucas's chest deflated the air he was holding in. "Maya, you are one of the most honest people I have ever met. I think a lot of the time, you know what you want and why but... it's like you're waiting for permission or approval from someone else to act. Or you don't trust yourself, which breaks my heart because, you're wonderful. Too amazing and smart not to trust yourself and it's like, you don't trust _us_ either. Like, we'll abandon you or something if you say the wrong thing but you know that'd never happen. You should, anyway. You don't have to wait for the coast to be clear, Maya. I always want you to know you are safe and I want you to be happy. I know the others want that too. Even if I don't always agree with you or the decisions you make... I love you."

Thank God, their backs were to each other. Maya was on the verge of crying, again. Why did he always have to be such a... Huckleberry?

"So, with that being said," Lucas nuzzled into his pillow. "Brandon."

"... I could get back together with him."

"Why?"

"Because... I know him now. I know not to get all caught up in this fantasy and believe that I am finally with someone who'll never hurt me because, he's done it before. So, he'll probably do it again and when he does, it won't hurt so badly."

"Maya." His voice sounded really firm. "Maya, look at me." Almost afraid, the little body shifted around to see emerald eyes shining and gazing into her. "You don't deserve pain. You deserve to be hurt, OK? I don't care what you think and I don't know what I gotta do to make you see that."

"I don't think I deserve it! I really don't I just... I'm used to it. It's what I know."

"Good things have been a part of your life, Maya. Like your mom getting married and Riley..."

"Yeah but I've had more of the bad and then, stupid graduation is coming up."

"... is that why you were crying when you opened our door? Because Riley was talking about the year was almost over?"

"You're all going off to your fancy colleges, meanwhile I - "

"There's nothing wrong with community college, Maya."

"But I'm still getting left behind!"

"No, you're not! OK, some of us are going away. Zay'll be in Philly and Smackle's going to Boston but, your two best friends in the whole world? Farkle and Riley? They'll be here in the city with you. You're not gonna be alone."

"Yeah, but what about-" Maya caught herself and spun back around before she could say anymore.

"What about what, Maya?" He demanded.

"Nothing, Huckleberry. Just forget it."

"What, Maya?" He continued to push, nearly angry.

"I said nothing! God, Lucas, are you dumb? Just drop it and go to sleep!" She heaved distressingly, covering her tears once more. After bits of quiet elapsed, she felt the heat of Lucas' body get closer to her. He swiftly rolled up to the side of her bed, to put his lips a centimeter away from her ear. The curl on the nape of her neck stood straight up.

"By the way," he sighed, "if you think for one second that I'm not going to call, text, email, skype, send a letter, message in a bottle - find some, _any_ way to talk you everyday when I'm in Texas, _you're the one who's dumb_."

Lucas swung back to his side and said nothing more. Maya wanted to reach back over and apologize but she didn't.

* * *

OK, so, Lucas Friar's scruff could cure any terminal illness, Maya concluded the next morning. His chin was in her neck, scratching all the itches she didn't know she had. She had no idea how long his arms were around her but she wouldn't stop it for the world. It was so warm and disgustingly cute, the only type of thing she'd see in the movies Riley loved. Still, Maya didn't hate it. Not one bit. In fact, her bladder had been bugging her for at least 5 minutes now but then, Lucas moaned and burrowed himself deeper into her neck, holding her tighter and she was willingly paralyzed. Of course, eventually, Lucas did have to wake up.

It was slow. His lids were heavy with sleep and Lucas groaned, liberally moving his hands along this small frame against him. He didn't know who he thought he was holding. Not Riley, though but someone familiar. They smelled like strawberries, probably shampoo but it was so sweet. When his eyes opened by degrees, he remembered that the only person that could be next to him was Maya. This, _this_ was the epitome of him fucking things up between them. Making things weird. Losing her. So, Lucas blasted himself away, so hard that he fell off the bed with a thud.

Maya was quite the actress and feigned like she was just rising. She yawned and tried to keep herself from laughing at him, "what happened? Did you you just fall?"

He jumped up and uneasily carded his hand through his bed-hair, "No, no, uh..." He reached for his phone as a prop. "Riley has been texting us. We're were supposed to meet everyone for breakfast in Farkle's room a half-hour ago." That wasn't a lie. Maya knew that but she ignored the message in favored of being spooned.

"OK."

First, Maya sped into the bathroom to whiz. Then, she let Lucas in so they could both brush their teeth. They stood before a long mirror, spitting out their foam. He caught Maya staring at him in the reflection.

"What?" He said with a mouth full of foam.

"When's the last time you shaved?" She asked, lazily brushing so she could still talk clearly.

Lucas covered the side of his mouth to spit in his own sink. "I don't know. Dad wants me to for graduation but... I don't know." He then massaged the fuzz, trying to remember what a clean face felt like. He's been trimming but never completely removing the hair. "Do you think I should?"

"Hmm..." Maya hummed, before spitting. "Well... don't take this the wrong way or anything but... like you're beard reminds me of like, an thick bush vag from the 70's."

Uncontrollably, Lucas spewed the white froth onto the mirror in guffaws of laughter. Maya's alert and lively eyes saw how hard she made him laugh, but was still a bit grossed out. She teased him with a grin, "EWWWWWW! Are you four?! You're gross!"

"I'm sorry!" He wiped his mouth with a monogrammed towel, then cleaned off the mirror too. Next, Lucas fixed the bed and put the blankets he used back into the closet.

"You know there are people paid to do that, right?" Maya inquired, lounging in a huge easy-chair.

Lucas shrugged, "I make the mess, I clean it up. It's common courtesy."

"Ugh, such a Huckleberry."

"With a face full of pubes."

Maya sputtered on her chuckles. "OK, I didn't say it like that."

Lucas opened the hotel door for her, "you didn't _not_ say it like that."

"It's not bad, though." Maya said, reaching up to touch the sides of it.

"Really?"

"Yeah... for a pube-face."

Lucas made a small grin, "new nickname?"

"New nickname." Maya answered, with the same grin.

Nothing has to change.

* * *

 **AN: 12,000 words. Ridiculous. Thank you so much if you made it this far, I appreciate it. If you liked what you read, please review. Thanks.**


	3. Graduation

**AN: I know that the Rucas interaction turned a few people off last chapter but I felt like I couldn't go forward with Lucaya until the whole Riley/Farkle/Lucas mess was completely resolved. From here on out, it's all Lucaya all the time. Pretty much.**

* * *

Finally.

Graduation felt like one of those things for Maya that took forever but also happened really fast. She was in school for over 12 years. Day in, day out of adults telling her what to do more than her own mother, strange kids, mean kids, dumb kids, and she knew it wouldn't stop here. The place was meant to prepare her for life and as people say, high school is never truly over. Oh, joy. But still, the whole thing kind of snuck up on her. In September, it just felt like another year with all of her friends. Nothing felt like it was ending, even with all the drama they withstood. It felt like there was infinite time. Standing in the mirror, in her red cap and gown, Maya realized that the clock was always ticking. She just never heard it before.

"Kiddo!" Shawn called to her. "C'mon! We got a graduation to get to!"

Quickly, Maya grabbed her phone and headed downstairs, where her little family was waiting.

Her mother attacked her with kisses and a big hug, "Ooh, my babygirl! I'm so proud of you!"

"Seeing... Stars..." Maya's lungs were being heavily constrained by Katy's love and she reached out for Shawn.

"Katy, Katy, let the kid breathe... " He carefully pried his wife away. "So, she can accept her gift." In Shawn's hands was an envelope and Maya opened it to see an abundance of $20 bills.

"Is this for - "

Shawn sighed and nodded. "Yeah. For the piece of artwork you just have to have... on your body." The fatherly wince made Maya smirk.

Although Shawn became a parent only a few years ago, he knew that Graduation was a huge milestone and wanted to show his daughter how proud he was with a gift. But he wasn't good at guessing so, he asked Maya what she wanted. Her sweet eyes became wide and bright, as a graduation present never crossed her mind. After doing a scan of all her possible desires, only one thing came to mind: a tattoo. An artist, of course she adored tattoos but never had the funds or age to get one. Shawn was not happy about this. What about a car? ("I live in New York.") A trip to California? ("Too much sun.") Her own apartment? ("Tempting, but you know you'll miss me too much.") His paternal instincts were kicking in and Maya made fun of him, no doubt. He was supposed to be the cool one. Shawn waited for her to change her mind and of course she didn't, so he had to cave. There are worse things than tattoos. He guessed.

Maya gave him a big bear hug, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

"Seeing... Stars..." He gave the same strangled voice.

"Maya, go get the car started while Shawn and I make a phone call to Riley's parents." Katy sashayed into the kitchen to the home phone, taking her husband with her and tossed her daughter the keys.

"Yeah, don't run away without us." Shawn joked.

"Don't take so long, then." She stuck her tongue out at them.

In her heels, she jogged down the steps of the brownstone Shawn bought for them last year. Usually she was bit winded after, but the pure excitement of the day gave Maya boundless energy, like the her heart was the a piece of the sun. The red waves of her graduation gown flowed as she ran into the driver's seat of the black SUV. Her legs couldn't even reach the gas and Maya held the wheels in her hands. The want of a car was completely wasted with Maya. Lucas tried to teach her how to drive when he got his license and they just fought the whole time. At one point, Maya even almost ran him over when he got out to cool off. The gas pedal was underneath her tip-toe and she accelerated with the intent of scaring the shit out of him for annoying her all day. Maya failed. He was on the phone with Zay, telling him how impossible she was when she floored the engine. He had to have heard her coming because, when she stopped just in time, Lucas' hand just rested on the hood, like he stopped the car with superhuman strength. Lucas turned and gave her a shrewd smile, winking.

God, she hated him. She especially hated how much she thought about him. Stupid cowboy.

* * *

Topanga's was closed down for a special graduation brunch - just for family. The tables were all pushed together. Riley sat in the middle of Farkle and Maya, holding both of their hands. Lucas was sitting next to Maya. His aunt, uncle and older cousins came from Texas for the special occasion. This meant strong accents and slang being thrown back and forth like a tennis ball across the table. Every time someone said something particularly southern, Maya kneed Lucas under the table but he wasn't embarrassed. It's not like they could help it. The Friar family haven't been together like this since Pappy Joe's funeral.

Lucas and his parents rode together to the school for the graduation ceremony with extended family following them. He was scrolling down his Facebook page reading all the congratulations from his Texas friends and looking at the pictures they were posting of their own festivities.

His mother interrupted innocently, "so, what's Maya doing with her summer?"

"She's staying in New York like the rest of us."

"No job or anything?"

Lucas huffed, "Maya? Doing labor? That's a good one, mama."

"Well now, she always helps me with dishes when she's over and cleans up after herself. She could do a lot, that girl. Definitely smart enough, pretty enough. And so talented to boot - "

"Mama, what is this? What are you doing?"

"Subtlety was never your strong suit, darlin'." Dean offered.

"I think it's generational then because our young man was eyeing a certain young lady all brunch long." Josie teased her son, making him blush.

"If you're insinuating what I think you're insinuating, we are just friends." Little did Mrs. Friar know it was mainly because Maya was bruising up his leg but partly because she was wearing her hair in that down, wavy look he liked. Lucas pretended to be unfazed but suddenly realized that he was on Maya's Instagram again.

"That's not was Zay said." Josie wore a knowing, dimpled smile.

 _Fucking Zay._ "Zay says a lot and knows a little."

"Mm, whatever you say. I'm just saying is all... we liked Riley but... we have _always_ _loved_ Maya - "

"Oh my God, dad stop her. Stop her, before I throw myself out of this car!"

Mr. Friar just chuckled heartily, "Pop would have loved this."

* * *

Maya scanned the class of 2021 on stage. Some were just talking and laughing, like they were still in the lunchroom and nothing was changing. Off to the side, Farkle and Zay were being prepped for their address to the school. Farkle was obviously valedictorian and Zay was the Campus Every-man. Riley was taking pictures with some of the girls they've known since middle school. Lucas was nowhere to be found. The waiting is torture. The anticipation Maya was feeling was filling her up to her toes. She knew graduation was only performative; it didn't mean they were going to be something worthy. Capable adults, doing adult shit. But it still felt like a win. Maya needed it. After this year, they all did.

"Well, well, well." That voice again. To Maya's left was Brandon, swaggering up to her in his graduation cap and gown. He nestled in the place seat to Maya, shoulder to shoulder. She could read that he wanted to put his arm around her. She didn't know if she would have allowed it. "The gruesome twosome. Ever thought you woulda' seen the day?"

"For me, yeah. You?" She teetered her hand back and forth. "50/50."

Brandon huffed a laugh, "Quite right, Blondie. Was able to make a deal with Principal Hines. All the work I missed had to be made-up. Worked it out during the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and one asshole of a spring break."

Maya mirrored the same laugh, nodding, "good for you." Then she paused making an earnest look toward him, smiling softly akin to Mona Lisa, "seriously, Brandon. Good for you."

"Thanks, Blondie."

He always struggled with school, same as her but he didn't exactly have the same support as Maya. Brandon had a single, addicted mom and was being taken care of by distant family in every sense of the term. If people labeled Maya a lost cause, Brandon was a suicide mission. Yet miraculously, it looked like he would survive but maybe not for long. From the corner of her eye, an angry Lucas was coming into focus. He charged up like a superhero with his cape of black waving behind him. Brandon caught wind of the force from Texas and rolled his eyes, "You got a bat-signal for this guy or something, Maya?"

Before she could say anything, Lucas demanded, "Up. Now."

With a wise-cracking smile, Brandon turned to him, "C'mon, Golden Boy. Can't we just let bygones by bygones?" Lucas answered with a moody and mean stare. "OK, this _is_ my seat."

"Maybe I'm speaking another language but I said, _get up_." Lucas was losing his patience. Maya was frozen.

"Lucas, the seats are in alphabetical order." Brandon pointed to himself, "G for Galleano." Then, he pointed to Maya, who was looking down. "H for Hart. Now, I know I'm not the brightest bulb but I do know my ABC's. You're behind us because your name starts with F. I know some other words that start with F. What about you, Friar?"

The look in Maya's eyes begged Lucas to keep cool, so he did. Calmly, he walked to his seat with his ears steaming. That kid just got under his skin like no one ever has. But, he wasn't going to let him - and Maya's willingness to be around him - ruin his graduation.

Zay's speech was before Farkle's. Cory introduced them both with tears in his eyes. Zay warmed up the crowd with a funny and casual address. It wasn't deep at all, but somehow that made it more poignant because he was talking like he'd see them all again knowing, that wasn't true. Next, Farkle took the stage. The boy was not nervous. He was tall, not awkward, not bashful. As Cory had said, he had evolved into a confident, compassionate young man and it showed. Still, he took a deep, conclusive breath before talking, glancing down at his audience and sparingly looking behind him at his peers.

"Classmates, Principal Hines, Faculty, Family and Friends.

I think I can speak for the rest of my fellow graduates when I say that, I owe a lot to John Adams High School. I have been thinking about all that I have learned at this place. I have made connections in the library, combustion in the science lab, math formulas in Dr. Reese's office, given debates in Mr. Matthews' classroom. As much as I value academics, though, I am not sure that if those things are the most paramount. As much as this is about our individual accomplishment, this also about our accomplishment together.

I am honored and humbled to be your class valedictorian, but I would not be up here without my supportive family, patient teachers and... amazing friends. So, I share this with all of you. Life is a roller-coaster and it will be really hard to hold onto yourself at times but I know we can do it. And if not, hold onto the people that you care for the most. They are your gravity. Take care of them, cherish them.

Eventually, we will meet new people, make new friends, and learn new things. We will grow older, more responsible, and independent. Then, the cycle begins again in college, and after that, we are left to traverse the unmapped expanse that is our future.

Hereafter our lives will hold many surprises for us, but I'm sure that we will approach challenges with the same boldness and equanimity with which we tackle problems currently. The unknown of our future may seem frightening now, looming over us like a dark thundercloud, but we might find that it is just a light, spring rain that brings the tidings of a rainbow.

As I look over the many faces I behold today, perceptions of individuals are washed away. I no longer see people as they were; I see them as they will be. So, rather than a young boy, failing all his classes, I see the next Steve Jobs, making revolutionary discoveries. I know that this stage holds the next decade's great business leaders, doctors, activists, artists, and stars, and that all of these graduates will contribute to the fabric of the future in some way.

So when looking at the bright horizon that is my future, I am happy. For although my life will contain sadness and heartbreak, it will also hold joy, love, and success. And I know my classmates' will too. So don't look back, and regret, my friends, look forward, and smile."

By the end, there was not a dry on the football field. Farkle took off his cap and fondled the tassel. "Class of 2021, we did it." The cap lead the flight of hundreds of others into the blue sky. Through the joyful chaos, Riley ran to Maya and collapsed into her arms. She was laughing and crying. The hysterics were typical of Riley but Maya also matched her emotion. It came like a volcano. All of the feelings she was holding in about being done with school and the drama and the stress and the uncertainty and happiness just bubbled over when her best friend of her whole life held her.

Riley stepped and pat down the blonde curls her hug messed up, "Congratulations, peaches."

Maya sniffled and grinned, "Congratulations, honey." She kissed her face and gave her another hug, for Zay to jump on them with a wild, celebratory scream. The hug got bigger between the three of them.

They all noticed Lucas' arms enveloping them. Riley gave him a hug and kiss but he picked Maya up and swung her around, yelling, "we did it!" When she made it back to earth, Maya was dizzy and lightheaded but she wasn't sure if it was the spin that did it. Last, Farkle came to greet his friends. Everyone held their breath when Farkle and Lucas stood eye to eye. What felt like decades later, Lucas took a step towards the valedictorian with a crooked smile, "I liked your speech."

Meeting him half-way, "Thank you, Lucas." He held out a hand for him to shake. Lucas took his hand and pulled him into an embrace with a pat on the back. Both the boys started to laugh, forgiving each other. Watching them, Riley rested her head on Maya's shoulder and Zay put an arm around Riley. They were all together again, for real this time. Suddenly, a tall student shouldered his way into their group.

"Hey, guys." Billy Ross made an appearance. They saw him from time to time in the halls of John Adams but it wasn't like middle school. To focus on his studies, Billy only played basketball. Him and Lucas didn't keep in touch. They haven't said so much of a 'hello' to him in at least a year. "That was a great speech, Farkle."

Farkle, a tad shocked, "thanks, Billy." His former bully pat his shoulder. "So guys, I'm having a grad party tonight at my place. I'd love for you all to come. Bring whoever you want!" Then, the famous Billy Ross disappeared into the crowd.

The gang made confused looks at each other, until Riley said, "nope! Uh-uh. It is going to be just about us tonight. The fab five." She held Zay and Maya close to her.

Zay added, "plus Smackle."

"The clique six." Riley corrected.

"... actually." Lucas said, after a minute. "I think I want to go to Billy's party tonight."

"Um, what?" Maya said.

"What?" Lucas said back.

The eyes were all on Lucas, trying to figure him out. Finally, Maya said what everyone was thinking, "You're choosing them over us? I thought we were all OK again? Or are you still carrying this emasculated cowboy crap around?!" She was fuming, even though her mind told her it wasn't a big deal.

"Oh my G-no! Jesus. Look, this isn't about Farkle or Riley or anyone because I'm good, OK? We're good." He nodded toward the couple, Farkle nodded back. "But... we had brunch this morning! I'm gonna hang out with you guys all summer. There is no doubt about that. And even when we go to college, I'm still gonna talk to you and be in your lives but I made other friends here. I have other friends and... I don't know but I think this is the last time I'll see or speak to them again. I want to say goodbye. Am I wrong for that?" He asked Maya.

Maya and Lucas were engaged in a tight staring match, then Zay spoke the words Maya was too proud to say, "no, you're not."

Still, Lucas glanced to Maya's clear blue eyes for approval. She gave an apathetic shrug and strutted away, with Farkle and Riley following. Lucas sighed and rolled his eyes. How come every time he finally acts on his own desires, someone he cares about gets hurt? Zay walked up to his side and nudged him. "She'll be alright. It's just a party."

"Yeah," Lucas uncertainly agreed.

* * *

The rooftop was lovely in the evening, even more so with the twinkling star lights Topanga decked the fence with. Maya sat next to a table of roses, scrolling down social media. It looked like everyone in the senior class was at Billy Ross's place. For the brief second she looked up, the hang out she was at was currently speaking over finger-sandwiches and sparking cider. Some of their parents took to the dance-floor, spinning in the moonlight. The beautiful usual. Except there was someone missing.

Maya dared herself to look at her phone again, searching for any pictures with Lucas in it. Damn her rebellious soul. She thumbed her screen, accidentally liking pictures with Lucas in them. He was taking pictures with red cups and Billy and his teammates and his smedium light green shirt that brought out his eyes and... Missy-fucking-Bradford? The two were cheek to cheek in a portrait selfie, Missy sported a taunting grin and Lucas bared an classically innocent one. Swipe left and Lucas wore the same smile but Missy was kissing his cheek.

 _Oh, fuck that._

Maya slammed her phone, face down on the picnic table. There is no way she would've let him go alone if she knew Missy was going to sink her snake teeth into him. He needs protection. She needs to be there. Maya needed to be there like yesterday. All she had to do was convince the gang. She slid her phone into the back-pocket of her bell-bottom jeans and wiped her sweaty palm on her rear. Maya was holding her phone so long, her hand was melting. She walked to up Riley, Farkle and Zay. They were sitting on the bench together, watching their parents celebrate getting them out of their hair.

"Hey." Maya said casually.

"Hey," Riley stood up and hugged her friend. Of course Riley knew when Maya separated herself, that meant she was thinking about things. Riley also knew, with age, that her best friend was allowed that space without her encroaching. "You OK? You were hanging by yourself for a while."

"We were going to send a rescue party." Zay joked and everyone chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm good but... I think that I want to go to the party. Billy Ross' party." She clarified, nervously.

"But... you were the one who tore Lucas a new asshole about going." Zay reminded her.

"He's right, honey."

"Well, I was thinking about it and... maybe, it would be a good idea for us. I mean, we're all going in different directions but we know that our paths will always lead to each other." Ugh, she was speaking in Huckleberry. "And it's not a bad thing... to start... talkingtonewpeople."

The last bit of that sentence was murmured so low, Riley was a step away and still asked, "what'd you say?" Farkle and Zay joined Riley, needing to hear the words too.

Maya heavily sighed and deeply rolled her eyeballs. Louder, she stated, "We should start talking to more people. Learning how to be without each other. It's... good."

"By Jove," Farkle whispered. "I think you broke Maya, Riley. For real this time." Maya is such a hermit, to hear her want to breakout from their tight-knit group was unsettling.

"Or, Lucas did." Zay countered. When Maya cut her eyes at him, he just gave his goofy smile.

Riley shook her head, "no. This is the new, real Maya. Get into it." She put her arm around her best friend. "I already am."

Suddenly, Smackle ran up on them but said in a hushed tone, "oh my God, are you guys planning on getting the hell out of here?"

"How did you know?" Farkle asked, as she was bending his father's ear about the new developments about space. Everyone knew Smackle was a genius but not a mind-reader.

"Listen, I graduated too. I need to decompress. I want to drink my until my tongue swells and my brilliant brain is in complete retardation." Smackle said, seriously. She could only talk about the moon for so long.

"I love you." Zay told her.

"Well I guess that's that." Maya smirked.

 _Here I come, Huckleberry._

* * *

"Oh my God." Maya was stunned at how massive Billy's house was. There were few homes that she believed could match it. Farkle's house and the castle of Versailles came to mind. The entire senior class was there, including some older John Adams alums who'd never miss on Billy Ross rager.

Zay stood beside her, looking at the old-fashioned war mansion, "I know, right?" Being Billy's teammate, this wasn't Zay's first time at Billy's house. "It feels like Obama's house in there. I looked for Malia once."

"It looks like the house Noah built Allie in The Notebook." Riley marveled.

"Filled with drunk kids. How romantic." Farkle added with a sarcastic sigh. Riley nudged him.

All together, the gang approached the closed front door. Behind it, there was an intimidating bass and tons of hyper sounds. Maya took a deep breath and turned the heavy doorknob. As she was walking in, she almost got run over by a couple girls in bikinis. The place looked like those older rap videos, MTV Spring Break classic. The regular indecencies: drinking, simulated sex, smoking. There was a game of beer pong happening in the backyard. The table was scattered with over 70 red cups and surrounded by a crowd. Smackle's eyes lit up.

"Let's go!" She grabbed Zay's hand and began to drag him over.

"I love her so much!" He called to his friends. Before they could figure out what to do next, the elusive Billy Ross greeted them. "Hey! Wow, you guys came!" He even gave Maya a hug that she confusingly accepted. "I'm so glad."

"VALEDICTORIAN!" Farkle's title was broadcast for the entire party to hear. An army of big football players came to them chanting, "MIN-KUS! MIN-KUS! MIN-KUS!"

The bug-eyed boy looked to his beloved, "R-riley, what's happening? What's going on?!" Farkle was tossed onto the shoulder of one of the giants. He was getting flashbacks of when he was carried on the chair at his Bar Mitzvah. It was not a fun experience. "Guys, guys, please!" Farkle was being escorted to a keg. "Riley!"

The brunette's dark eyes glanced back and forth between her kidnapped boyfriend and her amused as hell best friend, who was covering her laughter with her hands. She settled on Maya. "Maya?"

Still giggling, "I can take care of myself, honey. I'm not so sure about him." Maya pointed in the direction of Farkle being held into a keg stand.

"I know but..." But Riley remembered that 10th grade party and she said it with her eyes.

Maya understood the language and reassured her, "I'll be fine, Riles. I promise."

She softly grinned before turning and trailing after her boyfriend and his newfound brothers. "Be careful! He's fragile, like a glass swan!"

Maya shook her head, smiling. That smile got wider when her eyes landed on Lucas. He was talking to someone with a jubilant grin and a 40. Lucas' face was flushed, chiseled and adorable. His muscles were tensed up through his shirt, like he was flexing for someone. Maya was going to give him a hello and a punch on the shoulder. Totally casual. She didn't have any expectations, honestly. Except to hang out all night. Maybe get really drunk together. Maybe go somewhere discrete and...

 _Missy._

All of her fantasies, washed away, watching that harpy sing to him and he was just eating it up. It had to be the pretty sundress she was wearing because it made her look less dangerous. Maya looked down at her own clothes. Basic white peasant top, her favorite pair of hip-hugging bell-bottoms and her mother's Candies sandals. Maya felt she was cute but she didn't know if she was cute enough tonight to compete with Missy. The girl had game stronger than anyone Maya could think of. If worse came to worse, she could always verbally best her. Or hit her. Maya got close enough to observe their conversation, Lucas didn't even feel her staring. He just happened to glance to the right and meet her clear, disappointed eyes.

"Oh, Maya! Hey! You showed!" She took the tightness of his hug and the smell of his cologne as an apology.

"Yeah, hey Maya." Missy couldn't even hide her disdain in her squeaky, high-pitched voice. "You look cute."

"Hi." Maya gave her the once-over, "Yeah, thanks."

"Do you want a drink?" When Lucas offered, Missy put a pedicured palm on his chest.

"Hey, I'll get Dave to get her one. You said that we were going to go to the pool." Her tone was especially breathy. Missy pressed her fit body on him and whispered something with her lips so close to his ear, she might have well been eating it, not that Lucas seemed to mind at all. The only color Maya saw was the red of Lucas' cheeks.

"You know what, I can grab my own drink." She tried to sound unaffected when inside her heart was breaking. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Have fun, Huckleberry. With your o _ther friends._ " Quickly, Maya pivoted away from them to hide her face. She felt her eyes brim with tears when she heard Missy tell Lucas to let her go. It was good advice. It is what everyone is going to do to her, eventually. Maya should start doing the same. She knew that and she was trying but not hard enough. That was going to change tonight.

* * *

Maya was alone again on the balcony. The view was the stars and the moon through the trees. Behind her was the rollicking party that she had long abandoned with a case of beer from the kitchen. Lightly, she was humming to herself and drinking Blue Moon, lonely and sad. She wasn't sure if it was about Lucas, this time. It was becoming a pattern. Her, sitting by herself. Maya could handle it but she didn't like it and she didn't know what to do about it. All of the possible things she could to cure whatever this empty feeling was felt futile to attempt. But she could keep drinking and keep singing.

"Mm, I always loved your voice, Blondie." Magically, Brandon appeared almost at Maya's will. She didn't wish for him specifically, but just someone. He sat next to her, overlooking neighborhood. "Angelic."

Maya looked at him seriously before cackling so hard, she snorted. "So full of shit."

"Never. Well... sometimes." They smiled together.

"What are you even doing here?"

"Could never resist a party. You know that. You?"

Maya puckered her lips to the side before huffing frustrated and walking to the fence. "I don't know."

"Yeah, you do." Brandon followed her lead.

Looking into the night, she asked, "Brandon, did you ever love me?"

Looking at Maya, he said, "yes. I think I did, Maya. I think I still do."

Finally, she turned to Brandon and her eyes gleamed in the moon, making them silver. "Why?"

He made a pensive pause, a light shrug and a deep breath before Lucas sprang out of nowhere to punch him square in jaw. Brandon landed on the balcony with his body making a sound. T.K.O. Maya was gaping at Lucas with crazy eyes and an open mouth, then unconscious Brandon, then Lucas again. The Texan was so amped he didn't even register Maya standing there. He was bouncing around, waiting for Brandon to pop up for a rematch totally unaware that he was down for the count.

"Wha-What the fuck! Lucas!" He turned to the little woman yelling at him. "Why the fuck would you do that?!"

"I... " He was searching for breath despite him only throwing one punch. "He-He cheated on you!"

"Years ago, Dingleberry! You had no right to hit him!" Lucas began to stare at Brandon more sympathetically but was still angry at Maya.

"Why are you defending him! I don't even get why you even still talk to him! He treated you like shit!" He shouted at Maya. It was one of those drunken, out of body moments for Lucas when a person can register everything they are doing but they don't like what they're doing and can't stop themselves. Brandon truthfully wasn't the worst boyfriend Maya could have had but the memory of her crying would never let Lucas forgive him.

His harshness and her humiliation began to make Maya cry. "Shit," She sniffled and threw up her hands. "And what else am I supposed to do, Lucas? Huh?! What, just watch you all live your lives and... forget about me?! Maybe this is how it's supposed to be, OK?! Brandon hasn't been the best but I can handle him. I can handle myself. I've been doing it my whole life."

"Maya..."

"You can't do this anymore, Huckleberry. You can't just... drop in whenever you want because you want to be a hero, especially not all the way from Texas because I think I'm getting too used to it. I've gotten used to you saving the day. I need to know what it feels like to be alone again. I'm gonna have to anyway. Things are changing, no matter what I want, things are changing."

The two ignored the body on the ground next to them and crowd that was watching their scene play out. Lucas walked closed to a broken Maya and carefully, gently reached for the side of her heart-shaped face, letting his hard hand hold her soft cheek.

"Maya... I would _never_ leave you alone." That was all Lucas said, holding her puffy-eyed gaze until Brandon rose up surprisingly and repaid Lucas as good as he got. Though, it wasn't good enough to leave the stronger boy on the ground, Lucas tripped back a few steps into the fence on the balcony. Maya was shocked.

"I was waiting for the perfect moment." Brandon explained, dusting off his jacket. "It seems like you two got unfinished business. You don't have to say you're just friends. This busted lip says otherwise."

Maya licked her lips of salty tears and shook her head, "I'm sorry, Brandon."

"I'm not, blondie." He pushed the curtain of hair from her face. "I'll see you around."

Smackle managed the chaos and protected her friends from the gossip, blocking their intrusion. "Show's over! Move along! Move along!"

When Brandon disappeared from view, Maya and Lucas were just looking at each other while the former was holding his sore chin. Out of words and out of energy, Maya just left Lucas with the moon, wanting to just climb into bed and forget the day ever happened. Lucas, however, had other plans. He followed her, calling her name through the crowd. She made it to the front lawn where she saw some acquaintances. They were getting into an Uber to the next party. When Lucas found her, she eagerly climbed into the Corolla. As she was driving away, Lucas was still chasing her, intoxicated and hopeful that if he was fast enough and loud enough, he would stop her from leaving. Maya didn't know; she didn't look back.


	4. Flowers

Lucas kept calling her, not that Maya minded but she just wasn't ready to talk about what happened at Billy Ross' party yet. Lucas knew her well enough to know that she couldn't be pushed into anything - he just wanted to know that she wasn't mad at him. Even if she was, it was was weird for Maya to not respond to his texts. So, he staged an ambush.

It's been two weeks since graduation and Maya's outline for her tattoo was finished. She drew wildflowers, all different, vibrant colors appearing to grow up her arm. Always and forever blossoming. The symbolism was heavy handed and cheesy, so Riley and Katy loved it. However, both women hate needles so, Maya had to get her first tattoo alone. Or, that was the plan.

Maya was on her way out of the brownstone when she noticed a person sitting on her step. She was about to excuse herself until Lucas turned around smiling.

"What are you doing here?" Maya asked regretfully seeing Lucas' instant frown.

"I... I wanted to see you and I-I brought you this." From behind his back was a lone Sunflower. Maya took it with a confused wince.

"Thanks..."

"You're welcome."

Maya wasn't sure what do with the flower, so she just clutched it while locking her door. She clutched it so tight a few petals fell off.

So, what happens now? Does he just blurt out that he's sorry, even though he wasn't? To be honest, he knew what he did was wrong. He clocked Brandon, totally unprovoked but he'd do it again. Still, it was clear that Maya was mad at him and that was enough to make him sorry. Maya and Lucas were just standing opposite one another. She was looking at up at him, he was looking down at her and Maya couldn't take it, so she just started walking. Lucas was at her heels like a puppy.

"Where ya headed?" Lucas behind her.

"Tattoo appointment."

"Oh, so you're actually doing it?"

"Yeah, I'm actually doing it." Maya answered, a little irritated.

Lucas picked it up and back-pedaled. "What I meant was, are-are you planning to get the same drawing on your arm?"

"Yeah?"

"Something with all that detail should take a couple of sessions. Two at least." Lucas had a few friends on the baseball team that got tattoos for brotherhood. He didn't get one because 1) the picture they got was the school mascot, a caricature of the actual John Adams and 2) it didn't feel right to him. Still, he went for moral support and he chatted up the tattoo artist as his buddies winced and cried from pain.

"Well, I'm getting it all done today. My artist cleared her schedule for me. Besides, you know me Huckleberry. Got a high threshold."

Lucas nodded. "Cool, cool." They walked to a crosswalk and stopped for the traffic.

Maya looked up at him again, casually standing by her side without any questions. "So... you're coming with me?"

Lucas was a bit startled, "is that... OK?"

"Yeah, whatever." Maya said nonchalantly but she was actually really grateful. She was scared out of her mind but she didn't know if letting her biggest fear come along would be a good idea.

* * *

Rosie the Riveter's tattoo parlor was right next to an ice cream shop and across from a park. The owner Roz said that it was "primo location" for her daughter, Ava. Maya found the place online, wanting a female owner. When someone entered the place, it smelled like the gingerbread house that Hansel and Gretel got lured into but looked like a gothic dream. A girl with pink hair came to greet them.

"Hey, can I help you guys today?"

"Yeah, I have an appointment with Roz."

"Cool. What about you, stud?" The girl referred to Lucas.

"Oh, um, I'm just here for moral support." Lucas answered nervously.

"OK, nice. Supporting your girl."

"We're just friends." Maya and Lucas said together. The two looked at each other blushing. Maya was the one to break the stare. The pink-haired girl raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"OK. I'll let Roz know you're here."

While the receptionist was making herself scarce, Lucas was making himself anxious. He still hadn't apologized and he still didn't want to. So, he made some small talk.

"That's cool." He pointed to an intricate drawing of the Grinch.

Maya saw it and made a crooked smile. "Get it."

"What do you mean, 'get it'?"

"Get it tattooed."

"Oh, no way." Lucas scoffed.

"You just said it was 'cool'."

"I didn't mean on my body!"

Maya's smile went from amused to sinister in a snap. "I dare you to get a tattoo." She lurched toward him, with steel eyes going through Lucas like a laser beam.

"No." Lucas tried to stand his ground.

"I double-dog dare you."

"No, Maya." Lucas challenged.

Maya huffed. "You're a wuss."

"And you're a brat." Lucas shot back.

Suddenly, Roz appeared with her avant-garde hair and snake-bite piercings. "Hey, Maya." Her deep voice said. "You ready to do this."

"So ready."

"And who's this?"

"He followed me here. I think he's lost and needs a home." Maya teased.

Lucas rolled his eyes and held out his hand. "Lucas. Here for moral support."

Roz nodded and chuckled, "Cool. Well, you guys can come on back." They went through the fringe curtains to the secluded tattoo room. She had Maya prop herself on the high chair and Lucas sat near the exit. Roz found the sketch that Maya drew and showed her the traceable version that she created.

"Wow," Maya marveled. "Roz, this is perfect."

"Well, I didn't have to do much." Roz put on her gloves and began organizing her kit. "You're a pretty great artist. Ever thought about becoming a tattoo apprentice?"

"Not until two seconds ago." Maya smiled. "You really think I could?"

"Sure. I'm always ready to take on new talent."

"This would honestly be perfect for you, Maya. You love art and making people feel pain." Lucas said as payback for earlier. Maya flipped him the bird, Lucas just laughed.

"OK." Roz sighed and wheeled to Maya in her chair. "Now, are you sure that you want to do this in one session? This is gonna be a pretty intense tattoo, especially for a virgin."

"Do your worst." Maya said.

"OK, but if you start looking paler or if I start getting hungry, it's tap out time." Roz rubbed Maya's small arm with solution and steadied the stencil on her outer bicep.

"Maya, maybe you should cut it into two sessions. I don't think you're going to - "

"I thought you were here for moral support?" Maya cut him off.

"I am."

"Then, support or leave."

Lucas pursed his lips and slouched in his chair. Maya found her earphones and played music because that's what she saw people do in those reality tattoo competition shows. Roz said that it was going to take four hours, so her phone was fully charged with The Regrettes and Candy Crush Saga. The people that she knew of with tattoos were her mother and Zay. She only knew about Katy's tattoo from an ill-fated reach for the sugar in the cabinet and there she spotted a flower on her lower back. In shock and horror, Maya yelled with a mouthful of cereal 'tramp stamp!' So, yeah, there was no way she was going to ask her mother what it was like, also Katy insisted that she got it as a teenager, so she probably wouldn't remember anyway. Zay got an obnoxious picture of John Adams on his inner bicep and he said it hurt like a bitch and mind you, the picture was the size of a coaster. Maya was getting half of her arm done but, she was stronger than him. She could do this.

And she did, for about an hour. Lucas was very impressed, as Zay started screaming within the first minute. He put her on Snapchat with the caption, 'pancake's first tattoo'. Soon after, Roz hit a tender spot of skin that struck a nerve, bringing water to Maya's eyes. She tried to be discreet and hold back her tears but one dropped on her jeans. Roz took notice and asked her if she needed a minute. Maya shook her head and told her to keep going. Roz was hesitant but she continued. Lucas didn't notice her at first because he was texting Zay, who was trying to plan their entire summer in advance. But he looked up and saw the streams down Maya's face, left his phone on the chair and ran to her side.

"Maya, you're crying."

"I'm fine. Tattoos hurt, sometimes." She dismissed.

"If you're crying, you should stop." Lucas said. Roz kept going.

"I'm fine. Roz, don't I look fine?"

"You look like a sad ingenue from the 1920's but conscious enough for a tattoo." Roz ruled. "If you want to keep this going, we can."

"Keep going." Maya commanded and closed her eyes, absorbing the needle's power. She just wanted to feel stronger, to grow stronger. Suddenly, she felt thick hands wipe the tears from her face. Maya opened her eyes to see Lucas staring down at her, concerned and caring. Then, he grabbed a chair on the other side of Maya and held her little hand with both of his hands. When Roz hit another tender spot, Maya winced and to distract her, Lucas kissed her palm and rubbed her hand to soothe her. Maya could barely process what was happening as her entire right arm was going numb. Finally, she looked to Lucas and he gave her a kind smile. The smile she saw on the subway. The smile that she's grown accustomed to for the past six years. God, she was going to miss that smile. It was breaking her heart.

Mistaking her emotional pain for true physical pain, Lucas told Roz, "I think she's done for the day." Maya didn't protest and Roz turned off her needle.

"We'll set up another session for the weekend." Roz reassured her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't hack it." Maya lightly sobbed.

"Oh, sweetie, don't worry. It happens all the time. I still tap out of some, every now and then." She pat Maya's leg, then she went to the bathroom. Maya was looking away from Lucas, she was embarrassed. He didn't let go of her hand. He wanted to do anything to make her feel better. Then, a light-bulb went off above his head.

Lucas stood near Maya, holding her hand and whispering, "true Texans only do triple-dog dares." Maya glanced back at him, knotting her thick brows. "Triple-dog dare me."

Realizing what he was getting at, she slowly smiled and shook her head. "You're an idiot."

"Triple-dog dare me." He said low and close to her own lips.

" _I triple-dog dare you_."

He slammed his hand on the leather chair, initiating the challenge. "Hey, Roz! I guess you got an opening now, right?"

* * *

Lucas wasn't squeamish but he didn't particularly care for watching a needle stick him. Therefore, he decided the best place would be on his left upper back. When posed with the task of finding an appropriate picture, of course the first thing Maya said was a cowboy hat. Lucas flat-out refused but he did want a memento of home. While flipping through the book, Lucas eventually found something he didn't hate: a horseshoe. However, he didn't like the cartoonish picture, so he asked if Maya would draw him another one. He didn't want to offend Roz but wanted a more personal touch. Maya needed some convincing but ended up drawing one in about 20 minutes. It was perfect.

"Talent, man." Roz remarked at the finished product. Now, it was Lucas' turn to sit in the chair. It was all over in about hour. It wasn't as bad as he thought. Maya took a picture for Instagram, 'Huckleberry's first tattoo'. He paid and tipped Roz, then Lucas said he'd meet Maya at the ice cream shop as she made another appointment.

"So... how's Sunday?" Roz asked Maya.

"Sounds good."

While Roz was marking her calendar, she said, "you know, you're lucky. If only I could find a guy as supportive as yours. And you guys are so young, too. Gives me hope."

"Oh, we're not -"

"Maya, you don't have to prove anything to me but... I know what I saw." Roz winked and gave her an appointment card. "See ya Sunday."

Maya pursed her lips and took the card.

Lucas sat at the window, watching Maya cross the street. He still hadn't apologized but maybe he didn't have to. Lucas always felt like he and Maya always had this unspoken understanding. An understanding where they didn't need apologies or definitions or rules. Other people didn't understand and they didn't have to because their - whatever it is - is theirs. The only people who are owed an explanation about Maya and Lucas are Maya and Lucas. But they couldn't do that when they didn't even know what it was themselves. But it was something.

Maya joined him on a stool and began to eat the strawberry frozen yogurt he bought for her. She caught him staring at her.

"What?" She said with her mouth full.

"Nothing."

Definitely something.

* * *

 **AN: If I fumbled some details about actual tattoo artistry, my bad. If you like what you read, please review. Thanks for reading.**


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